Chapter 209: Huge War Merit Mission, Liu Tianning's Oppressive Training

Liu Tianning cannot personally engage in combat within the war zone, but teaching Zhao Xing spells does not violate the regulations.

"Go and fetch Black Soul Wood, Dark Hidden Sand, Dark Spirit Luminous Stone, Crimson Flame Fire Pearl, Golden Adamantine, Earth Spirit Sand..."

Liu Tianning listed a string of materials.

"According to my requirements, hand the materials to the Array Masters and have them forge the Array Bases."

"Once the Array Base materials are prepared." He paused, then continued: "Then summon thirty-two Grade Eight Priests to the drill ground to await orders."

Zhao Xing was stunned; he vaguely guessed what was happening.

Is Old Liu setting up a Soul-Bewitching Array for him right now?

"Yes."

Zhao Xing immediately withdrew.

He found Wang Ji; at this moment, Wang Ji, Han Bing, and Che Shihai were chatting.

"Back when I studied in the Palace of Ten Thousand Methods, I even reached the final level and earned eight thousand points!"

"But compared to the benefits of the Eldest, the treatment is simply worlds apart." Che Shihai sighed.

"The inheritance of the Straw Man Method does not follow quantity." Han Bing also shook his head. "In Liu Tianning's eyes, except for Zhao Xing, none of us are worthy of his gaze."

This is so damn discouraging!

In the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, other teachers were always amiable; even Blind Cheng and Ge Wuzhu would not speak to them like this.

But Liu Tianning gives no face at all; outside the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, he is like a stranger.

Just as they were chatting, the main figure arrived.

"Wang Ji, there is work to do." Zhao Xing held a list and hurriedly entered. "Quick, find people to make the materials according to the requirements on this list for me."

"Good, I will handle it immediately." Wang Ji took the list and immediately stood up to leave.

"Eldest, what is Commandant Liu doing here?" While Zhao Xing had not yet left, Che Shihai asked.

"Here to teach me." Zhao Xing sighed.

"You are sighing?!" Han Bing almost crushed the cup. That was Liu Tianning! The Straw Man Method is hailed as the number one under heaven; what is there to sigh about?

"You don't understand." Zhao Xing did not explain much.

"Be careful these days when the Equalization Officials transport supplies; the Anping Road and the Nanzhuang Road cannot be used; switch to other routes."

Upon mentioning serious matters, Han Bing and Che Shihai put away their playful expressions.

"If we do not take the Anping Road and the Nanzhuang Road, then we can only go through the enemy-occupied zone." Han Bing said, "It is easy to be intercepted and killed by the enemy army; should we not first withdraw the main army to Tonghuocheng?"

"My lord, I also think we should first let the main army return to rest." Che Shihai said, "The 'Min Ziheng' of the Blazing Sun Army is a warning from yesterday."

Mentioning Min Ziheng, Zhao Xing's expression also became somewhat heavy.

Min Ziheng was a unit of the Blazing Sun Army on the northern front; Min Ziheng himself was a Commandant of Official Sixth Rank Upper, and he ranked one hundred and thirty-sixth on the Sixth Rank War Merit List.

Yesterday, a message appeared in the Earth Mirror: Min Ziheng led eighty-seven thousand people to forcefully attack the 'Sixteen Cities of the Xijiang Territory', but was defeated by Jin Yan, the prince of the Wang Ting of Jin Yu, resulting in a great defeat with over thirty thousand casualties.

This detachment of the Blazing Sun Army was shattered.

Min Ziheng, this Commandant of Official Sixth Rank Upper, originally had over three million war merit points; this battle directly zeroed them out.

His official rank was also demoted by five levels, becoming Official Seventh Rank Lower.

Since Min Ziheng was quite famous in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, this crushing defeat also sounded a warning bell for the various armies in the Fire Demon Clan war zone.

Everyone realized there were not so many favorable battles to be fought; the Wang Ting of Jin Yu wants to protect the Fire Demon Clan's territory, and attacking this tribe might cause decades of previous efforts to come to nothing.

War merit and official rank are not easy to gain; they require multiple victories to accumulate.

But losing them requires only one great defeat.

"I know." Zhao Xing nodded. "I have already notified the front line to send a detachment of ten thousand people back to protect the supply line."

"In that case, efficiency will be reduced." Che Shihai said. "Generally, pulling combat power back is useless."

"Let it be for now." Zhao Xing said.

A Soul-Bewitching Array has appeared on the supply line, and its range is quite large; this makes the originally safe transport routes unusable, forcing supplies to be sent by detouring through the enemy-occupied zone.

The scale cannot be too large, or it will be easily discovered and intercepted.

Changing routes for now is merely a temporary measure; ultimately, this trouble must be resolved.

But whether to withdraw or not still depends on the decision of the main commander at the front; Zhao Xing, as the Logistics Chief, can only manage his own affairs.

After giving instructions to Wang Ji and Han Bing.

Zhao Xing was just planning to return to find Liu Tianning, but at this moment, the Earth Mirror trembled.

He took it out to look, and it was a mission issued to him by the Soldier Realm.

【Soldier Realm Mission: 'Stabilize the Supply Line of the Sacrificial Soul Pass'】

【Soldier Realm Intelligence: Large-scale high-grade Soul-Bewitching Arrays have appeared on the Anping Road and Nanzhuang Road from Tonghuocheng to the Sacrificial Soul Pass. According to the calculations of the Creation Disc, this deployment will severely affect the supply needs of the main army and may even lead to defeat.】

【Mission Requirement: Please ensure the supplies for the six armies: the Divine Might Army, the Sea-Quelling Army, the Black Armor Army, the Phantom Nether Army, the Origin Splendor Army, and the Zhao Yuan Army, until the end of the war.】

【Mission Reward: War merit rewards of different levels will be given based on the mission completion evaluation, up to 400,000!】

【Note 1: You can view information regarding this array in the Earth Mirror. If the supply line cannot be maintained, leading to defeat in frontline combat, you will have a large amount of war merit deducted; please take countermeasures quickly!】

【Note 2: If the main army withdraws to Tonghuocheng, this mission will disappear.】

"The Soldier Realm mission has also arrived." Zhao Xing put away the Earth Mirror.

The high-grade Soul-Bewitching Array appeared the day before yesterday; after two days, the Soldier Realm has collected enough intelligence and made calculations on the direction of the war.

Now Zhao Xing estimates that he is not the only one receiving the mission; the main commanders at the front are also receiving it.

The content can also be guessed: logistics supply will encounter problems, leading to increased difficulty in fighting; under these circumstances, one head will count as double merit.

However, the corresponding casualty rate will also increase.

Continuing to fight will increase the war merit rewards because the enemy's strength has also upgraded.

Of course, if defeated, the deducted war merit will be quite severe; it is even possible that all previous efforts will be in vain, and war merit will go directly to zero, just like Min Ziheng.

"The final large-scale merit mission of this stage, I cannot easily give up," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "The further we go, the harder it is to gain merit, especially after next year. When the Jing Emperor gradually becomes impatient, the Southern Barbarians, though stabilizing their decline, are becoming more and more stubborn."

"My current merit, I estimate, can only secure a rank of Junior Sixth Grade. Since I previously exchanged a million merit points for a Yin Spirit slot, my personal rank and title have not advanced a single level."

Zhao Xing did not care much about personal titles, but later, when transferring to the Civil Ministry of Agriculture, having a title would be best, because the civil official system values this quite highly.

Personal ranks relate to the annual extra bonus; the intensity of rewards during wartime is also quite great, especially for the merit of breaking a city, where personal ranks are added in large amounts.

Now Zhao Xing does not lack money, but after reaching the Sixth Grade, he will definitely lack funds, because seeds and treasures of mid-to-high levels are beginning to slowly become scarce.

And for him to mix up to the Fifth Grade during the Jing Emperor's reign, cultivate the Inner Five Elements of Heaven and Earth, and strengthen the 'Later Earth Sand and Gravel', all require vast resources.

If he does not intend to embezzle, relying on the basic salary of that official position, do not think he can cultivate himself up.

If not cultivating by himself, then he must rely on the imperial court.

But in this case, after being demoted, his cultivation would drop greatly, he would be controlled by the Great Zhou's fortune system, and it would affect Zhao Xing's grand plan for immortality.

He does not intend to rely on the imperial court to raise his cultivation or magical realm; he only wants fortune and lifespan!

"It is already the seventh day of the eleventh month of the seventeenth year of Jingxin," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "Merit! I must gain more merit!"

Liu Tianning arrived at the Chen hour and instructed Zhao Xing to prepare the materials.

By the Wu hour, the materials were already prepared.

But in the meantime, Zhao Xing received news from the front lines again.

First, Liao Rulong contacted Zhao Xing through the Earth Mirror, inquiring about the supply line issues.

Zhao Xing received the mission; naturally, they received it as well.

"Can you guarantee the supply for the grand army?" Liao Rulong asked. "If not, we can first retreat near Tonghuocheng and make plans then."

"Yes," Zhao Xing said.

Liao Rulong was with Xia Jing, but Xia Jing did not come to ask, because he believed Zhao Xing could handle it.

Jiang Ming and Li Que of the Zhenhai Army also did not come to ask, because the two of them simply did not receive this mission.

At the front lines, the two of them were deputy generals of the allied forces and had no decision-making power.

If the grand army in front retreats, they follow and retreat.

Part of the Zhenhai Army's warships also undertook the task of logistics and supply transport; in terms of logistics, they had to listen to Zhao Xing to make the decisions.

So there is absolutely no need to worry.

But on the other two lines, the Qi Qi Yuanjun, Wen Shaoyang, Yi Yue, and Nangong Ye all sent messages inquiring one after another.

Among them, Nangong Ye and the Qi Qi Yuanjun used relatively mild wording.

Because for more than half a month, Zhao Xing had not made any mistakes; every time, supplies were delivered on time and in full quantity.

But Yi Yue was relatively agitated.

"Zhao Xing, can you stabilize this supply line?"

"If you cannot, I will transfer personnel from the Yuanhua Army to come over!"

Yi Yue being so agitated had a reason.

Because a few days ago, the people Zhao Xing sent out to transport supplies were trapped and blocked by the Soul-Confusing Formation on the Anping Road.

The supplies for the Yuanhua Army given to Yi Yue were delayed for nearly two days.

Yi Yue ranked third on the Seventh Grade merit list; he himself had a violent temper, and when speaking to people like Qi Qi Yuanjun and Nangong Ye, he would slam the table.

His words meant: if you, Zhao Xing, cannot do well, then just replace you with someone else; my Yuanhua Army has plenty of logistics personnel to transfer over.

"General Yi, calm your anger; such delays will never occur again," Zhao Xing said.

"If such an event happens again, what then?" Yi Yue pressed aggressively.

"Then I will let General Yi's people take this position!"

"Good, it is a deal!"

Having said this, Yi Yue hung up the communication.

"Yi Yue has considerable ability, and his temper is also great," Che Shihai said from the side, "daring to speak to the boss like that."

"You cannot blame him for speaking loudly. This matter concerns the lives of over ten thousand people in his army," Zhao Xing said. "If it were me, I would also be angry."

For such matters, there is no question of face or no face; it is about the matter, not the person.

Zhao Xing also did not feel Yi Yue was targeting him, after all, it was truly delayed for two days before.

"This problem must be solved quickly... Wang Ji, have you finished your work?" Zhao Xing asked.

"It is finished; it has already been moved to the large drill ground in Chengnan," Wang Ji said.

"Han Bing, go notify the priest Zhang Yi and have him bring people over," Zhao Xing said.

"Yes."

With everything prepared, Liu Tianning set up a small Soul-Confusing Formation at the drill ground in Chengnan.

Although called small, the formation array covered nearly ten thousand mu of fields.

And it reached the level of a high-grade formation array.

"A high-grade Soul-Confusing Formation already involves the Dao of Yin and Yang," Liu Tianning said, standing with Zhao Xing before the array. "The one I set up is merely a crude version; it uses a lot of materials, and there are people guarding the array, so it barely counts as high-grade level."

"But the one you encountered should be one with no one guarding the array; it was set up based on the Five Elements of Heaven and Earth, using Yin Souls as materials."

"However, the principle is the same," Liu Tianning said. "If you can break through this array, you will also be able to pass the arrays on the Anping Road and the Nanxiang Road."

"Can only break through, not destroy?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Cannot be destroyed," Liu Tianning said. "Breaking such a large-scale formation array is extremely difficult."

Zhao Xing thought for a moment, and indeed.

The defensive great array of Huolong Pass also stretched for over a hundred li; for that kind of large-scale formation array, the Shenwei Army and the Xuanjia Army sent a total of eighteen thousand people, climbed over the Flame Mountain, and destroyed it from the inside.

They blew up dozens of cities, yet only managed to temporarily disable the defensive great array.

Afterwards, cooperating with the large fleet of tower ships from the Zhenhai Army outside the pass, they bombarded fiercely, and only then was it broken.

The current Soul-Confusion Formation, though not as grand as the defensive array at Fire Dragon Pass, is still a large-scale high-grade magical array.

It is also very difficult to destroy from within, because once you enter its interior, you are trapped in a ghostly maze where you cannot find your bearings.

"As long as you can pass through it, that is enough," Liu Tianning said. "The Soul-Confusion Formation has no offensive power; it is mainly used to block and trap enemies."

"Once you understand how to pass this formation and have mastered the True Self Straw Man technique, you can personally lead every supply convoy thereafter, thereby solving this problem."

"Understood," Zhao Xing nodded.

Starting from November 7, Zhao Xing handed over all military affairs to Han Bing and Wang Ji. At this moment, he could only trust them to complete the mission of "transporting supplies via a detour."

He himself focused entirely on studying under Liu Tianning.

What was he studying?

First, how to pass a high-grade Soul-Confusion Formation.

Zhao Xing passed through the high-grade Soul-Confusion Formation very quickly.

First, he had Liu Tianning's guidance; second, he had a foundation in formation arrays; finally, his Fate Soul had reached the sixth grade, and he possessed the Heaven Eye Technique.

The combination of these factors allowed Zhao Xing to master the techniques for passing through the formation very quickly.

Second, practicing the True Self Straw Man Technique.

The minimum threshold for the True Self Straw Man Technique is the perfect unification of five methods.

The lowest-level True Self Straw Man is already a high-grade spell; the highest level has no upper limit. It can be called the "ultimate spell" of the Straw Man Technique.

Zhao Xing's previous Straw Man Technique could achieve the perfect unification of three methods: Sky Flight, Divine Might, and Detonation.

Unifying four methods, however, only reaches the mid-grade seventh transformation level.

Achieving the perfect unification of five methods within a short time is actually quite difficult.

Before taking the Fate Soul Pill, even with Liu Tianning's personal guidance, Zhao Xing did not expect to achieve this in a short time.

But now, having taken the Fate Soul Pill and with Liu Tianning personally demonstrating the True Self Straw Man Technique, there was a glimmer of hope.

In the Weapon Realm, the Hundred Weapons Tower.

Luo Hou Wang, Ling De Wang, and King Tianyan gathered together.

"King Tianyan, Luo Hou Wang, the turning point of your wager has arrived," Ling De Wang said. "Zhao Xing has not abandoned the mission assigned by the Weapon Realm, and the main generals before Sacrificial Soul Pass have not retreated."

"This young man is taking risks again," King Tianyan said, unable to smile now. "Previously at Fire Dragon Pass, he also took risks. This time, knowing the mission is difficult, he still refuses to give up."

"Qi Qi Yuanjun, Nangong Ye, Yi Yue, Xia Jing, Liao Ru Long... all are geniuses of risk-taking. Only Wen Shaoyang is steady. Putting these few together is truly a case of like attracting like," King Tianyan shook his head.

If the main generals could not agree, then Zhao Xing could not accept the mission, and the grand army would vanish upon retreating.

If Zhao Xing felt it was impossible, then without the guarantee of logistical supplies, the grand armies on the three front roads would also retreat to Tonghuocheng.

Zhao Xing had previously used the Turtle Shell Divination Method to foresee the future, receiving the hint to stop with the current momentum and preserve the fruits of existing victories.

King Tianyan also felt that Zhao Xing and the others should stop for a while, but these few people simply would not stop.

"It is not necessarily a risk," Luo Hou Wang said, looking at a stack of intelligence reports. "The army at Sacrificial Soul Pass is clearly afraid. Since they cannot win in a direct fight, they want to cut off their supply lines to make them retreat out of fear, buying time to catch their breath."

"If the supplies are not lost, in another two months, Sacrificial Soul Pass will not be able to hold out."

Ling De Wang said, "The calculations of the Creation Plate all indicate that the Eastern Front troops are in greater danger. Luo Hou Wang, the premise is that they must be able to hold out."

"The Creation Plate is not necessarily one hundred percent accurate; it only provides possibilities," Luo Hou Wang said. "Ling De Wang, why don't you take a bet too?"

Ling De Wang was stunned, then smiled: "Since Luo Hou invites me, I must give you face. How shall we bet?"

"I bet that Zhao Xing's supply line will not be lost, and that Sacrificial Soul Pass will definitely fall within two months," Luo Hou Wang said. "The wager is two seventh-grade divine weapons."

"Hahaha," King Tianyan laughed. "Luo Hou, don't dig yourself deeper. You bet one seventh-grade divine weapon with me, and now you are betting two with Ling De Wang."

Ling De Wang smiled: "If Sacrificial Soul Pass falls within two months, then Zhao Xing must solve the problem of the Soul-Confusion Formation immediately, but I still will not bet."

Luo Hou Wang said: "Forty days! I bet Sacrificial Soul Pass will definitely fall within forty days!"

Ling De Wang was surprised. He pondered for a moment but ultimately could not resist the temptation: "Very well, I bet! Let us see whether the Creation Plate is accurate or your Luo Hou's judgment is accurate."

"Perhaps Luo Hou can recover some of his losses from you," King Tianyan laughed.

"Ling De Wang, you are bound to lose," Luo Hou said calmly. "Have I not told you? Those who can create opportunities even when there are none are peerless geniuses, and they often create miracles."

"And now, there is not just one such person on the Eastern Front."

Ling De Wang was somewhat stunned. He immediately took out the Earth Mirror to search: "Damn! Luo Hou, you tricked me!"

"Liu Tianning also went to the war zone; does that count? This does not conform to the rules!" Ling De Wang protested.

"Why can it not count?" Luo Hou Wang revealed a slight smile. "He is merely a sixth-grade combat power avatar, a disciple of the past, and does not directly intervene. The hard requirement for breaking through a high-grade Soul-Confusion Formation stands right there."

"You..." Ling De Wang was speechless. If there were only Zhao Xing, he would have dared to bet, but now that Liu Tianning has also gone over, he is truly a bit nervous. In the Weapon Realm's Surveillance Department, the evaluation of Liu Tianning is extremely high! If he goes to teach Zhao Xing, he might really create a miracle.

On November 9, Zhao Xing was already able to shuttle back and forth through the Soul-Confusion Formation in the Chengnan Grand Training Ground.

On November 10, Zhao Xing began cultivating the unification of four methods: Sky Flight, Divine Might, Detonation, and Invisible Straw Man.

On November 13, the Straw Man Technique achieved the perfect unification of four methods!

However, at this time, supplies being transported from Tonghuocheng to the front lines were frequently attacked, with damage occurring in many places.

Nevertheless, Tonghuocheng's supply production was sufficient. Zhao Xing stubbornly withstood the pressure and implemented a saturation transport method.

That is to say, every time he delivered supplies, he sent three to five times the usual amount. Since they were taking a detour, they established several more routes, split into multiple batches, breaking the whole into parts, and playing hide-and-seek with the enemy forces intercepting the roads.

Even if there were losses, the losses were shared among multiple teams. Under such circumstances, they barely managed to guarantee supplies to the front lines.

Under such pressure, time arrived at December 3.

At this time, whether it was the Divine Might Army, the Sea-Suppressing Army, the Black Armor Army, the Zhao Yuan Army, the Phantom Nether Army, or the Yuan Hua Army, their offensives grew increasingly fierce, while the resistance at Sacrificial Soul Pass also became more tenacious.

The Great Zhou side wanted to capture Sacrificial Soul Pass quickly because they knew the supply line was always a hidden danger. Although the supply line controlled by Zhao Xing had not yet encountered major problems, there was no guarantee that problems would not arise if dragged out.

The six main generals were under immense pressure as well.

The main generals of all routes at Sacrificial Soul Pass were equally under tremendous pressure; the alliance of six armies had a configuration that could not be called anything but luxurious.

Qi Qi Yuanjun, Yi Yue, and Nangong Ye were all top-five geniuses on the seventh-grade Merit List.

The Zhao Yuan Army, the Yuan Hua Army, and the Phantom Nether Army were even first-rate powerful armies among the Five Great Cavern Heavens.

Especially the Phantom Shadow Army, when facing Soul-Controlling Sorcerers and ghost attacks, could often form an overwhelming advantage.

At the start, Ji Hun Guan still dared to come out and fight, but later he could only defend passively, no longer daring to send out the ghost army.

They merely dispatched more and more teams to harass the supply lines, striving to alleviate the pressure on the siege from this aspect.

As long as a breakthrough could be made in this aspect, repelling the Six Armies Alliance would be a foregone conclusion.

On the fifth day of the twelfth month, Zhao Xing had already begun practicing the Union of Five Methods.

Based on the five straw-man techniques of Flying, Divine Might, Suicide Explosion, Invisibility, and Soul Binding, he attempted to perfectly fuse the five methods.

"Boom!"

A straw man exploded before his eyes.

"This is already the nineteenth thousand eight hundred and seventy-third failure." Zhao Xing's face was somewhat pale.

His pressure was also extremely great now, because bad news was slowly increasing; the saturation transport method could not last forever, and enemy teams had even begun to frequently attack Tonghuocheng and the supply cities along the route.

"Not only did I gain no military merit this month, I was also deducted over fifty thousand." Zhao Xing thought silently. Originally, providing supplies and transporting them yielded military merit every month, but this month, due to heavy losses, the monthly military merit rewards were all deducted, and he was additionally fined over fifty thousand.

Just as he was, those below him also began to fall into "debt."

The decisions of superiors affect those below; since Zhao Xing chose to persist with this mission and not withdraw the grand army, he had to bear this risk.

"Only in adversity is the Great Dao truly seen." Liu Tianning walked to Zhao Xing's front. "Your current pressure is not great enough; let me help you a bit."

"What?" Zhao Xing was stunned.

"I will demonstrate the final time for you now." Liu Tianning said indifferently. "Next, this straw man of mine will completely disintegrate, and no more straw men will be sent; you have only this last chance."

"If you do not learn it, your mission this time will inevitably end in failure."