Chapter 26: Choosing Seeds

Seeing that Huang Tao and the other two had joined forces and still lost to Zhao Xing, the watching crowd immediately dispersed.

Those three were all top-rank talents last time.

They lost even joining hands, and lost so cleanly — still going to try?

Seeing no one step forward, Zhao Xing stopped provoking and began focusing on the examination.

………

"That really was Big Brother?" Qian Dong and Chen Ziyu, who were staking out plots together, exchanged a glance; both teams fell silent.

"Big Brother has actually become this strong." Chen Ziyu was a little envious. "Huang Tao's three joining hands, and they were driven off so easily."

"One person holding two spring wells and three ash-grass plots — Big Brother is probably going to make top-rank again this time."

"Ziyu, let's not go over, in case we hold Big Brother back."

"Mm."

"This top-rank Zhao is quite arrogant." On the west side of the planting area, Li Chengfeng and Zong Shichang were huddled together, observing this battle.

"He does have the capital to be arrogant." Zong Shichang stroked his chin, a hint of eagerness in his eyes. "Huang Tao's three's Cloud-Walking spell is the same as his — both seventh-tier."

"The Wind-Raising spell probably isn't bad either, yet they were defeated so cleanly."

"Either he hid his strength, or he has rich combat experience."

"Either way, he's definitely not simple."

Li Chengfeng looked at the eager Zong Shichang and smiled: "What, Brother Zong's itch is acting up?"

Zong Shichang nodded: "I do have some thoughts, but the examination comes first — let's see afterward."

"Mm, let's head to the seedling area."

On the north side of the planting area, Wen Nanxing stared at that grey-white cloud.

"Why can his Cloud-Walking swallow Huang Tao's cloud so easily, completely unaffected, and even grow a bit larger?"

Wen Nanxing was on the north side, not far from Zhao Xing — one could say he was in the front row of spectators.

He saw more clearly than Li Chengfeng.

"Cloud-Walking spells have a repelling nature; absorbing cloud qi for one's own use usually requires a crushing tier advantage."

"I too can shred Huang Tao's cloud qi, and swallow it — what makes him qualified?"

Zhao Xing's Cloud-Walking quickly stabilized, looking like a patch of mud, utterly unremarkable.

He looked again at Xiao Ze to the south, whose tiger-head cloud blazed brightly — by contrast, his was utterly plain.

"Wonder what technique it is." Xiao Ze thought for a while too, but the fight ended too quickly; he couldn't see any trick and had to give up, heading to the seedling area to choose.

After waiting a while with no one coming to challenge, Zhao Xing knew he had secured his footing, so he also headed to the seedling area to pick plants.

Fighting Huang Tao's three, he looked very effortless — and in fact… was effortless.

Same spell, same tier, but the manipulation and experience were on completely different levels.

In his previous life he had been honed for a long time in the Calamity Epoch; combat had become survival instinct. For these greenhouse flowers like Huang Tao to pick him as opponent — it was truly showing off an axe at Lu Ban's door.

Not to mention three — a Zhao Xing like this could take on ten!

On the viewing platform, Chen Shijie could not help but laugh: "Old Si Nong spoke truly — he performed extraordinarily. You've trained a talent, my lord."

Xue Wenzhong said slowly: "Previously he hadn't entered the second stage of Qi Gathering, so his talent didn't show. After crossing into it, his accumulated reserves burst forth — I merely did my meager bit."

"Xue Lao is being modest." Gao Li-nong said at once: "I saw his previous minor exams — his performance was only middling, never above B-grade. Without your Xixin Sect guidance, how could he have made such great progress?"

Huang Tao was under Gao Li-nong's command; with him defeated, Gao Li-nong had lost a little face.

So every word carried a hint of needling Xue Wenzhong — had you given Zhao Xing special tutoring?

He never once considered that every official here, himself included, wasn't doing exactly the same.

As if his own doing it was normal, but others' was moral depravity.

Xue Wenzhong glanced at him and said flatly: "If you insist on putting it that way, so be it. For such a fine talent, I still plan to spend more time giving him dedicated guidance — does Lord Gao have any suggestions?"

"……"

He hadn't expected Xue Wenzhong to answer like that — so you're just not pretending anymore?

Gao Li-nong's punch had landed without effect; feeling a bit uncomfortable, he could only laugh dryly twice and move on.

The planting area was bustling with excitement; the seedling area was far more peaceful.

Because the seedling supply here was unlimited — no need to rush and grab them.

Besides seedlings planted in soil, there were also seed pouches.

"Seeds, seedlings, mature-stage plants — three stages to choose from."

"Quality ranges from first-tier to third-tier."

"Scoring criteria: first, quantity; second, quality; third, survival status."

Zhao Xing selected carefully, then his gaze fell on a potted plant. Everything else was unlimited, but this one alone was a limited edition, displayed in the most prominent spot, with a guard.

"Heavenly Origin Pear Tree, ten years to reach the maturity stage, then one year to flower, one year to fruit. Each time it bears only 3 to 10 fruits."

"The Heavenly Origin Pears it bears have the effect of consolidating the foundation and cultivating the origin, and taste excellent. Highly favored by high officials and nobles — ranked third-tier superior grade."

Zhao Xing stared for a while, thought about it, and gave up.

Because he activated the Five Elements Observation and learned this pear tree was only three years old, far from reaching the maturity stage.

Choosing it would indeed give the highest value score, but one would also need to be able to accelerate its ripening.

With only three days, no clerk present could possibly manage it.

Chen Shijie placed it here purely to show the examinees.

To see which fool would overreach himself.

"Choosing seeds gives the highest score, but is time- and labor-intensive; choosing seedlings is next; choosing half-mature potted plants is the lowest."

"But it also depends on quality — plants from first- to third-tier are provided here, so quality score definitely takes priority over the rest."

Zhao Xing pondered for a moment, then locked onto three kinds of plants.

The first was a vine-type 'Green Vine Seedling,' second-grade lower quality.

The bamboo-type 'Vajra Bamboo Seedling,' second-grade upper quality.

And the aquatic 'Fragrant Floating Lotus,' second-grade middle quality.

Compared to the other treasures, plant-type seedlings and seeds were relatively cheap, so even if he ruined them it wouldn't matter.

Zhao Xing didn't hold back either, asking the manager of the seedling area for twenty portions of each in one go.

"Name?"

"Zhao Xing."

"All recorded. Move them over yourself." The manager finished the registration and pointed:

A gentle breeze swirled, splitting into three streams—one shot straight into the ground, slowly digging out the seedlings along with their soil; one carried the seed bags; and one dragged the potted plants.

Then it landed in front of Zhao Xing.

"Rise!"

Zhao Xing also employed the Wind-Rising spell, giving a soft shout. The registered plants, still caked with mud and soil, instantly all flew to his side, neatly arranged.

"Not bad, not bad." The manager stroked his beard and smiled. "Although the supply is unlimited, you mustn't waste these fine seedlings."

Nodding, Zhao Xing carried the plants and headed toward his own planting area.

Others without such ability could only haul them over one trip at a time.

Zhao Xing, with the plants floating in the air before him, walked with a dragon's stride and a tiger's pace. Onlookers, seeing this, all stepped aside one after another, or slowly trailed behind him—there was even a feeling of an emperor on tour.