Chapter 265: The Ultimate Method of Heavenly Timing, Grand Minister of Agriculture Li Boqian (Part 1)

"The first layer of the Fate Soul Seal has seven stars; he cultivated two Fate Stars in just half a month. This genius was discovered by me!" King Tianyan wore a proud smile.

"However, this matter cannot be told to him yet, lest he become arrogant. We shall wait until he has fully comprehended the first layer. Judging by his performance, he is very likely to be the fastest to cultivate the seven stars of the Fate Soul Seal."

King Tianyan did not intend to tell Zhao Xing at this moment.

Mainly, telling him would not accelerate Zhao Xing's cultivation speed; on the contrary, it might cause him to become lax.

Even if Zhao Xing were to strive and not develop a lax heart, telling him these things might bring him pressure.

If, for the title of the first person in history, Zhao Xing cultivates excessively, would that not be counterproductive?

King Tianyan recorded Zhao Xing's cultivation:

【Jingxin Year 30, October 7th, Official Zhao Xing began cultivating the Seven Souls. October 22nd, Soul Cultivation completed.】

【Jingxin Year 30, October 23rd, began cultivating the Tianyan Divine Art, Soul Refining Chapter.】

【November 7th, Fate Soul Seal, Two Stars.】

After writing, King Tianyan looked it over, then sealed the scroll and the Mirage Pearl recording Zhao Xing's cultivation into the Top Secret Archives of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.

"His potential is even greater than Liu Tianning's." King Tianyan pulled out another scroll.

This was Liu Tianning's scroll.

【Dingxin Year 228, May 6th, Official Liu Tianning began Soul Cultivation. May 26th, Soul Cultivation completed.】

【Dingxin Year 228, June 10th, began cultivating the Tianyan Divine Art, Soul Refining Chapter.】

【June 15th, Fate Soul Seal, One Star.】

【July 7th, Fate Soul Seal, Two Stars.】

【September 18th, Fate Soul Seal, Three Stars.】

【Dingxin Year 229, June 7th, Fate Soul Seal, Four Stars.】

【December 5th, Fate Soul Seal, Five Stars.】

【Dingxin Year 231, April 3rd, Fate Soul Seal, Six Stars.】

【Dingxin Year 233, May 7th, Fate Soul Seal, Seven Stars. Divine Soul manifested 10,086 paths. First layer of the Tianyan Divine Art perfected.】

【Total cultivation time for the first layer of the Tianyan Divine Art: five years and one day.】

【Since the discovery of the Tianyan Stele 35,346 years ago, the cultivation speed of the first layer ranks ninth in history, and first in this dynasty.】

"Liu Tianning cultivated his first Fate Star in just five days, which shocked both me and Luo Hou at the time. In less than a month, he cultivated the second one."

"At that time, he was in the Fourth Grade Yuan Soul realm. To protect him, I and Luo Hou always had him disguise himself as a Fifth Grade Pure Yuan realm, and we only gave him a Fifth Grade official title externally." King Tianyan recalled the past.

"He indeed did not disappoint my and Luo Hou's expectations, becoming the fastest person in Great Zhou to cultivate the first layer of the Tianyan Divine Art, and he even started cultivating from the Middle Grade."

"I thought he was the only prodigy, and that this record would be difficult for a second person to break in my lifetime. I never expected Zhao Xing to appear now, and these two are master and disciple." King Tianyan sighed with emotion.

He had always believed that the top eight in the historical records were all legends.

Because King Tianyan himself cultivates the Tianyan Divine Art and has already entered the second layer.

He knew the difficulty of this well; how could anyone be faster than Liu Tianning?

Now it seems, there really is someone!

"Hehe, he is even younger than Liu Tianning. If we wait until both master and disciple reach the High Grade realm, I will have a share in the discovery of these two talents." King Tianyan thought happily, but in an instant he became melancholy, staring blankly at the scroll in his hand.

"I just don't know if I can live to see the day I personally announce these scrolls."

King Tianyan has lived for 678 years; he is much older than Luo Hou.

If another twenty-plus years pass and the Jing Emperor does not promote him to a First Grade Prince, his lifespan will end.

Thinking of that elder brother's character, King Tianyan smiled self-mockingly: "I'm afraid it will be difficult."

…………

When he saw King Tianyan again, for some reason, Zhao Xing felt his mood was somewhat low.

Strictly speaking, he should not be able to sense the emotional fluctuations of a High Grade expert, but he indeed captured this anomaly in an instant.

"Eh? I can actually sense the emotional fluctuation of a High Grade expert?" Zhao Xing was surprised in his heart. "The effect of the Fate Soul Seal, Two Stars, is truly immediate."

Cultivating the Tianyan Divine Art, his Fate Soul had also become more sensitive without him realizing it.

However, this slight trace of low mood from King Tianyan passed in an instant, and soon he could no longer perceive it.

"Zhao Xing, from now on, you have embarked on the cultivation of the first layer of the Tianyan Divine Art." King Tianyan said, "However, you must not be too hasty. Use the Yuan Soul Liquid whenever needed; do not save it."

"Yes, I strictly follow King Tianyan's teachings." Zhao Xing said respectfully.

"Additionally, I have some cultivation insights here." King Tianyan handed over a roll of emerald-green scroll. "Before you embarked on this path, even if I gave it to you, you would not have been able to understand it."

"Now it is different; I hope it can help you." King Tianyan said, "However, you need not believe it all; treat it only as a reference."

"Everyone cultivating the Tianyan Divine Art will have slight differences, because everyone's Fate Soul is different."

"You can only treat it as a reference."

"Yes. Thank you, King Tianyan, for bestowing the method." Zhao Xing respectfully accepted it.

"You may contemplate it on your own; if you have any questions, you may find me." King Tianyan said, "I am inside the Star Palace. As long as you speak, I can hear you."

"Yes."

After taking the emerald-green scroll, Zhao Xing opened it and began to contemplate.

…………

Zhao Xing stayed in the Star Palace to contemplate with full concentration; the affairs of the Bureau were basically handled by Chen Shijie.

It was also on November 7th that one of his avatars, along with Geng Shouchang and Heng Yuan, arrived at the Profound Heaven Academy.

As for the avatars following Meng Kun and Gu Changqing, they departed later and only set out today.

The Dili Sect always has the most work; these two traveled on official business from Daoyuanzhou to Ping Haizhou and were the last wave to leave.

Since Meng Kun and Gu Changqing were taking Zhao Xing back to the Daoyuanzhou headquarters, and there might be other arrangements on the way, Zhao Xing estimated that he would not truly complete the move into the Kunyuan Academy until next January.

But the Profound Heaven Academy was reached today.

Because Zhao Xing was not going to the headquarters, but to the Profound Heaven Academy in Tianyuan Prefecture of Pinghai Prefecture.

Why not go to the headquarters? There are many reasons.

First, the Vice Minister of Agriculture, Wang Tianzhi, still had official duties in Pinghai Prefecture; Geng Shouchang, Heng Yuan, Sima Yunhai, and others all had to finish their tasks with Wang Tianzhi before returning.

Second, besides furthering his studies, Zhao Xing was also taking up a post at the Profound Heaven Academy; Geng Shouchang had promised him either the position of Doctor of Classics at a branch academy or a Dharma Preaching Master at the main academy.

Given that Zhao Xing had arrived as a manifestation, Geng Shouchang, Heng Yuan, and Sima Yunhai decided to first have Zhao Xing serve as a Doctor of Classics at the branch academy in Pinghai Prefecture.

By settling all various procedures at the branch academy first, going to the main academy next year would be much more convenient.

If he went directly to the main academy, it would likely provoke opposition from many; if he were merely holding a nominal post, it would be fine, but Zhao Xing intended to cultivate a Supreme Technique!

This involves certain resources and some stakeholders.

For instance, Zhao Xing cultivated in the Star Palace; the Star Platform, the seven secret-patterned stars, the Yuan Soul Liquid... which of these is not a cultivation resource? Since they are resources, they involve distribution issues.

After all, Zhao Xing had arrived as the Ten Thousand Dharma Manifestation; there would inevitably be some who felt displeased.

If he had come sincerely to learn, that would be one thing, but what does it mean to send a Ten Thousand Dharma Manifestation?

Therefore, Geng Shouchang, Heng Yuan, and Sima Yunhai decided to first settle this matter at the Tianyuan Prefecture branch of the Profound Heaven Academy in Pinghai Prefecture.

For Zhao Xing, it made no difference to him, as there was also an opportunity to cultivate and comprehend at the Tianyuan Prefecture branch.

He even hoped to cultivate at the Tianyuan Prefecture branch of the Profound Heaven Academy, because he had only just begun practicing a Supreme Technique; it did not involve important resources or venues, so there was no need to go to the headquarters.

Another reason was that the Tianyuan Prefecture branch of the Profound Heaven Academy harbored the current Grand Minister of Agriculture, Li Boqian!

Perhaps he could trigger some 'hidden quest' on this Grand Minister and obtain some hidden rewards.

"It is now November of the thirtieth year of the Jingxin Era; according to the trajectory of his previous life, Li Boqian should have already arrived at the Tianyuan Branch."

"Wang Tianzhi, Geng Shouchang, Heng Yuan, and Sima Yunhai taking a detour here were probably to report to Li Boqian," Zhao Xing thought silently.

Why would the deployment of a Canghai Immortal Realm require so many Ministers of Agriculture?

Wang Tianzhi is a Second Rank Vice Minister of Agriculture, and he is bringing over a dozen Third Rank officials.

Minister of the Imperial Carriages, Ji Ji Shuchang, did not bring so many subordinate officials.

Of course, the imperial court values the Eastern Sea, so sending so many people here is understandable.

"I do not know if the speculation is true, or if I will be able to meet Li Boqian," Zhao Xing thought silently.

When Grand Minister of Agriculture Li Boqian arrives, he must be bringing one or more sets of Solar Term Tokens.

It is unlikely he brought all twenty-four Solar Term Tokens, as they are still needed to stabilize the celestial seasons in other places.

But these are treasures of the Ministry of Agriculture! They are surely superior to the Solar Term Tokens crafted by the Li Dynasty, that fallen house!

Even if he were only allowed to look at them, it would be of immense benefit to his cultivation of the 'Solar Term Tokens' technique.

"It is said that Li Boqian also possesses three self-created supreme secret arts: 'Kunpeng Transformation', 'Near Yet Far', and 'Yuan Feng'."

"Among them, Kunpeng Transformation is an internal cultivation method for transforming the stages, and Near Yet Far is a Cloud Technique." As for what kind of technique Yuan Feng is, Zhao Xing was not clear.

Because in his previous life, he had only heard of this technique, and it was not passed down afterwards.

It is said that no one has been able to learn this supreme art created by Li Boqian.

"It is rumored that the secret art 'Yuan Feng' was created by Li Boqian as a technique pointing directly to the Ultimate, but this secret art of his lacks a foundation of low, middle, and high stages."

Many Supreme Techniques have a foundation.

For example, regarding the Supreme Technique 【Ji Yuan Earth Palace】, Zhao Xing was able to comprehend it because he had already learned 【Boundless Earth Palace】; there are commonalities between Earth Palace techniques.

It is equivalent to laying a foundation.

Ji Yuan Earth Palace also has thirty-four specialized high-stage techniques and two hundred and seventy-three mid-stage techniques.

That is to say, if you can master all these thirty-four high-stage techniques and two hundred and seventy-three mid-stage Earth Palace techniques.

Then the difficulty of comprehending Ji Yuan Earth Palace will be reduced somewhat.

For another example, the Straw Man Technique: Soul-Binding Straw Man, Soul-Devouring Straw Man, and Soul-Devouring Dharma Body all have a progression path from simple to complex.

But Li Boqian's 'Yuan Feng' seems to lack a basic version.

"The rumor is that he died before he could perfect it; without a clear path from shallow to deep, it is indeed very difficult for others to understand his Dao," Zhao Xing thought silently.

"Just like my current self-created technique, Lei Ting Breaks Delusion Finger; if I do not release the mid-stage Lei Ting Lasso and Lei Ting Great Palm, lacking the prerequisites, it would be very difficult for anyone to learn."

Ultimate Techniques mostly have this problem; some are such that even the creator knows them, but others simply cannot learn them at all.

And when seeking successors to inherit, they undergo distortion and deformation; for instance, if the first-generation ancestor passed down an Ultimate Technique, but the second generation did not learn it fully, or comprehended it with differences, causing it to lack one or two Ultimate moves, it would drop to the level of a Supreme Technique.

In this way, if the path goes astray for just three generations, the Ultimate Technique is completely lost; therefore, finding a successor is very important.

The seventy-two Dao Academies, under the guidance of the Great Zhou, have undergone great changes, such as the Dharma Transmission Tower of the Li Huo Dao Academy.

Of course, generation after generation of talents have emerged, and descendants have also created new powerful techniques.

Overall, the categories, quantity, and quality of techniques have all increased.

For instance, the Liu Family Straw Man Technique reached its peak in the hands of Liu Tianning.

"Li Boqian's Yuan Feng Technique remained a mystery in my previous life; I wonder if there will be a chance to observe it this time." Zhao Xing did not necessarily have to learn Li Boqian's Yuan Feng Technique; it was pure curiosity.

Because the Ultimate Techniques of the Celestial Seasons School are the most numerous, far exceeding the other two schools; this is also the reason why the Celestial Seasons School has always grown so powerful.

Meng Kun and Gu Changqing came to compete to recruit Zhao Xing, but after being beaten by Geng Shouchang, they had to obediently line up behind.

There is no way; a bigger fist is the hard truth!

"Zhao Xing, come with me." Geng Shouchang arrived at a cabin on the third floor of the tower ship and knocked on the door.

"Yes." Zhao Xing followed Geng Shouchang out of the Wind and Cloud Ship.

At this moment, the Wind and Cloud Ship had already stopped inside the Profound Heaven Academy of Tianyuan Prefecture in Pinghai Prefecture.

Looking at the scattered flower petals and ribbons around, Zhao Xing estimated that the ceremony had already concluded before Geng Shouchang came to call him.

In reality, it was indeed so; the entire tower ship had become cold and quiet, with only a few mechanical engineers performing routine maintenance and inspection work.

Zhao Xing looked and saw that Wang Tianzhi's official ship was moored on a mountain peak.

The entire Shanfeng was very neat; it was an artificial mountain, as if the upper part of a Jin Zita had been cut off.

Seven more docking peaks like this surround the area.

At the foot of the mountain are neat, towering rows of Golden Radiance Trees; their trunks are tall and straight, with branches blooming only at the very top.

Their entire bodies gleam gold, arranged in perfect order—majestic and pleasing to the eye.

Even the clouds in the sky are orderly: eight-trigram-shaped cloud paths distributed across the heavens.

The sky is azure; sunlight pours down through the eight-trigram cloud paths, shining on the radiant Golden Radiance Trees, then reflecting onto the Wind-Respite Cloud Ships.

Wang Tianzhi's plain, unadorned Wind-Respite Cloud Ship was made to look noble and majestic by contrast!

"Truly friendly to those with obsessive-compulsive tendencies." Zhao Xing found this style deeply pleasing.

…………

After disembarking from the tower ship, Zhao Xing and Geng Shouchang boarded a small flying boat and left the docking zone.

To avoid troubling Geng Shouchang, Zhao Xing's clone wore a wide-brimmed hat and a robe that concealed his aura.

When registering at the Profound Heaven Academy, Geng Shouchang deliberately chose a different time.

The branch institute's vice-director, who should have been present, happened to be accompanying Wang Tianzhi, leaving only a Fifth-Rank Academic Official on duty.

There was no way to tell that Zhao Xing was a clone.

Thanks to recommendations from three Third-Rank officials and their guarantees, Zhao Xing quickly completed what should have been a complicated hiring process.

Yet he came to serve as the Classic-Researching Doctor so furtively, like a thief, fearing detection.

"From today onward, you are the Classic-Researching Doctor of the Tianyuan Prefecture Branch Institute."

"I have already arranged with Lu Chunhua; you will stay in the Tianyuan Pavilion and give one public lecture per month."

"Your residence has also been arranged for you: Mirror Lake Courtyard in the East District."

"I will remain here until year's end; Heng Yuan and Sima Yunhai will proceed to the Main Academy first."

"Next year, I will transfer you elsewhere," Geng Shouchang said.

"Yes, thank you, my lord Geng." Zhao Xing bowed with clasped hands. "May I ask when I may begin studying spells?"

"Within the Profound Heaven Academy stands the Dharma-Transmission Tower; floors ninety and above are supreme sites for comprehending Dharma, capable of aiding one in grasping the Dao of Heavenly Timing."

Geng Shouchang glanced at the ground mirror, seemingly reviewing the branch institute's regulations: "However, such resources for aiding comprehension are limited; you may receive only five days of comprehension time per month."

Five days per month was already excellent; this was granted solely because of the recommendations from three Third-Rank officials, which convinced Lu Chunhua, the director of the Tianyuan Prefecture Branch Institute, to agree.

After all, Zhao Xing taught only once a month and had entered as a Classic-Researching Doctor through a special recommendation channel.

Demanding vast resources immediately upon arrival was impossible.

If Liu provided Zhao Xing with ten billion cultivation resources, then Zhao Xing would have to serve at the Shangluo Academy in return.

Whatever one gives, one receives; it is the same everywhere.

"You may also go to the Tianyuan Pavilion for comprehension; the Tianyuan Pavilion is a vast library whose scriptures and wall murals all embody supreme Heavenly Timing Dharma."

"Comprehending within it will also aid your understanding of supreme Dharma."

"My residence is in the Return-to-Truth Garden; you may come to consult me. However, I specialize only in teaching Thunder Dharma."

"Though I know other supreme Dharmas, I am not proficient in them."

Geng Shouchang primarily cultivated Thunder Dharma within Heavenly Timing Dharma; on this path, he had gone far, having already brought two techniques to the supreme Seventh-Transmutation stage.

With his profound understanding of Thunder Dharma, he could naturally teach others the basics.

As for other spells, though Cloud Dharma, Wind Dharma, and Rain Dharma had all reached the supreme tier, they were only at the Second or Third Transmutation stage.

Supreme Dharma at the Second or Third Transmutation stage meant he himself was merely at the entry level, so teaching others was out of the question.

"Yes, thank you, Master Geng, for your willingness to teach me; I shall begin with Thunder Dharma." Seeing Geng Shouchang's sincere dedication, Zhao Xing readily changed his form of address.

Geng Shouchang nodded slightly: "Very well, follow me."

…………

Geng Shouchang led Zhao Xing to the Return-to-Truth Garden, a hilly region.

The area was vast, spanning twenty li in every direction, containing only one manor; everything else was mountains, water, forests, and grasslands.

In a place like Tianyuan Prefecture, where land was worth its weight in gold, only the residences of Third-Rank officials were this spacious.

Upon arriving at the Return-to-Truth Garden, Geng Shouchang began teaching immediately.

"I know two supreme Thunder Dharmas: first, Yin Thunder Dharma; second, Yang Thunder Dharma."

"Yin Thunder Dharma has reached the supreme Seventh-Transmutation stage; Yang Thunder Dharma has reached the supreme Eighth-Transmutation stage."

"The full name of Yin Thunder Dharma is 'Three Yin Cold Nether Thunder Great Art'; it is abbreviated as 'Yin Fiend Thunder' or 'Cold Fiend Thunder'."

"This art was created twenty-five thousand four hundred years ago by the powerhouse 'Han Ming' of the Profound Heaven Academy; originally only seven transmutations, it was later developed and refined by successive sages until it achieved supreme perfection, making it one of the most complete supreme Dharma lineages preserved within the Profound Heaven Academy."

"This art was comprehended from the Great Cold solar term and has been continuously perfected by later generations."

"From the first to the ninth transmutation, there are three secret techniques: 'Three Yin Lei Ting', 'Cold Fiend Thunder Domain', and 'Five Elements Yin Thunder Realm'."

"Each secret technique, when combined with the Great Cold solar term token, reaches its maximum power."

"I will now demonstrate the first technique: Three Yin Lei Ting."

After speaking, Geng Shouchang pointed; a solar term token radiating cold light flew out from his Origin Dantian.

The solar term token flashed toward the sky; the moment it emerged, Zhao Xing felt the surrounding temperature plummet, and the grass withered instantly.

Yet strangely, despite the extreme cold, nothing around them froze.

Before Zhao Xing could fully observe, Geng Shouchang's finger flashed with light.

Immediately, the grass within several hundred meters beneath his feet withered completely.

Trees and leaves withered entirely.

Within the area where Geng Shouchang cast his spell, the air was filled with icy stillness.

Meanwhile, not far away, the bright sun still shone, and vegetation thrived with vitality.

Such a stark contrast delivered a powerful visual impact.

He had only blinked, and how had it become like this?

Where is the thunder? Where is the sound?

I didn't see it at all!

Geng Shouchang said, "I just unleashed its inherent power, merely controlling the range. The Yin Thunder Method is silent; it is normal that you cannot see the casting of the spell. Now I will break it down."

"Watch carefully."

Geng Shouchang cast the spell a second time, and the Great Cold Solar Term Token floated out.

Subsequently, three purple seals appeared at his fingertip. They were only the size of a normal seal.

"Supreme Yin Thunder Seal, Lesser Yin Thunder Seal, Jueyin Thunder Seal—merge into one in an instant!"

"Go!"

The three Thunder Seals vanished instantly; immediately, another patch of grassland turned deathly silent, all vitality gone.

"Did you see clearly?" Geng Shouchang asked.

"No." Zhao Xing shook his head.

Even though Geng Shouchang had broken it down and slowed the casting speed, the entire process was still incredibly fast.

"No way, this is already the effect after I reduced it tenfold," Geng Shouchang said. "If it were any slower, it wouldn't be a top-tier spell."

Zhao Xing nodded; this was the difficulty of learning top-tier spells.

It was impossible to slow down every single step a thousandfold when casting.

Just like igniting a sixth-tier firecracker; the sixth-tier explosion produces immense shockwave force in an instant, so the speed must be very fast.

If it slowed down, it wouldn't be called a sixth-tier firecracker.

Geng Shouchang's level as a teacher was still quite high, able to control top-tier spells, break down the steps, and slow them down tenfold.

If it were someone else who had only mastered one or two turns of a top-tier spell, they couldn't slow it down at all.

So Geng Shouchang said he couldn't teach the other spells because he could use them himself but couldn't demonstrate them to students.

"If my true body were here, it might be a bit better, but right now only my clone is here. The Dao of top-tier Thunder Methods passes in a flash; capturing such realization is quite difficult," Zhao Xing thought inwardly.

The Three Yin Thunder Seals were different from the Yuan-Draining Earth Palace. The Yuan-Draining Earth Palace was a continuous spell, giving Zhao Xing plenty of time to observe and comprehend, but the Three Yin Thunder Seals were not; the entire spell process was extremely brief.

This was also the characteristic of the Yin Thunder Method: fast, hidden, and hard to detect.

"It doesn't matter. You can go to the Tianyuan Pavilion to comprehend three hundred types of high-tier Thunder Seal spells."

"Starting your comprehension from high-tier Thunder Seals will greatly help you grasp the Three Yin Thunder Seals."

"Yes, thank you, Master Geng for the guidance." Zhao Xing memorized Geng Shouchang's words. "I wonder, what about the Yang Thunder Method?"

Geng Shouchang: "The Yang Thunder Method I cultivate is fully named 'Profound Heaven Prison-Subduing Thunder Great Art'. This is one of our sect's classic Thunder Methods, also known as Prison-Subduing Thunder and Profound Heaven Thunder."

"This method also has three powerful secret techniques. First is the Heaven Thunder Finger. Small range, close-range attack, its power can rank among the top five of Thunder secret arts."

"Second is the Thunder Hunyuan Lock. This is a binding-type spell that uses Thunder Method to lock a person's primal energy. Once the binding is complete, the enemy's life and death are in the palm of your hand."

"Third is the Prison-Subduing Thunder Pool. This secret technique has an extremely large range, suitable for use on the battlefield. The entire heaven and earth will form a thunder cage, refining the enemy with thunder."

"This method can be paired with the Jingzhe, Lixia, Xiaoshu, and Dashu Solar Term Tokens to enhance the power of the Thunder Method."

"The power of the Yang Thunder Method differs in different seasons."

Zhao Xing's eyes immediately lit up; in his past life, he had cultivated the Profound Heaven Thunder Method because it was one of the classic Thunder Methods of the Heavenly Timing Sect.

That was why he could recognize the spell Geng Shouchang had just cast at a glance.

"Casting the Heaven Thunder Finger, from inside to outside: the five elements of the internal organs, the liver belongs to thunder; externally borrowing the power of heaven and earth, it is the utmost rigidity and yang, requiring the complete exclusion of yin forces. Neither inside nor outside can make a mistake."

"If your primal energy circulates through the kidneys, and the spell mixes with other elements, the power of this spell will decrease greatly, or even fail completely, ultimately backfiring on yourself."

"You can use a clear-vision type spell, such as Five Elements Observation, to observe the circulation of primal energy within my body."

Geng Shouchang spoke very detailedly and taught very seriously.

Zhao Xing also learned very seriously.

The Yang Thunder Method is fierce, and its speed is controllable because it has a 'charging' process.

Additionally, Zhao Xing's self-created 【Thunder Breaks Delusion Finger】 was precisely because he had used it so often in his past life that he subconsciously leaned towards the Heaven Thunder Finger.

His high-tier spell and the Thunder Marquis Change Method were comprehended respectively during Jingzhe and Lixia.

It could be said that Zhao Xing already possessed a very high foundation.

When Geng Shouchang cast the Heaven Thunder Finger, Zhao Xing immediately felt a resonance.

He subconsciously began to learn along with it.

"Zzzzt~"

Lei Guang burst forth from his fingertip, quickly condensing into a finger.

The surrounding air instantly became scorching hot, finally forming a thunder vortex that circled around his finger.

However, in the next moment, it collapsed.

At the very instant of impending collapse, Zhao Xing could only vent this power into the ground.

Attempt failed.

"Eh? This is..." Geng Shouchang glanced over, quite surprised.

Although the spell Zhao Xing just cast ultimately failed to take shape, the first half already possessed the foundation for the Heaven Thunder Finger to form.

"You..." Geng Shouchang really wanted to ask Zhao Xing if he had studied it before, but then thought again and felt the question was redundant.

How could he have studied it? This was a top-tier spell.

"Your Thunder Method talent is truly astonishing," Geng Shouchang praised without holding back. "Seeing my demonstration for the first time and grasping the knack immediately, simply..."

Geng Shouchang didn't know what to say, then immediately felt it was a pity.

"If your true body had come to learn, speaking only of this Yang Thunder Method, why would it take three years to enter the gate?"

Zhao Xing cupped his hands and said, "Master Geng, I have my own difficulties; I had no choice but to do so."

The cultivation of the Divine Transformation Scripture must be done in the Heavenly Mechanism Hall of the Military Realm.

This instance of the Dragon Court Ancient Land is also a top priority in his plan.

Inside are objects infused with spiritual energy!

Moreover, to avoid going mad, the Grass Man Method must be matched with the Ultimate Soul Method.

Therefore, Zhao Xing's true body truly cannot leave.

The priority of cultivating the Divine Transformation Scripture must surpass all other methods.

In fact, Zhao Xing had not previously been able to grasp the key so quickly or find the right path.

It is because the cultivation of the Divine Transformation Scripture has already shown initial results: the Twin Stars of the Life Soul Seal.

The Life Soul power within his avatar has also grown stronger.

Before cultivation, his avatar's perception was like covering one eye entirely, while the other eye was veiled by a layer of gauze.

Now, that gauze has become much thinner, allowing him to unleash part of his learning talent.

"Alright, let's drop this topic," Geng Shouchang waved his hand. "Don't rush to learn the Yin Thunder Method; focus first on the Yang Thunder Method."

"I have a banquet tonight, so I have no time to teach you today. Come again after noon tomorrow."

"Yes, student takes his leave," Zhao Xing bowed respectfully.

…………

Leaving the Guizhen Garden, Zhao Xing immediately went to the Tianyuan Pavilion.

The Tianyuan Pavilion is a vast library, containing countless spells and secret techniques.

Of course, ninety-nine percent are low- to mid-tier, with only a small portion being high-tier.

The Tianyuan Pavilion stands a thousand meters tall, its structure a cylinder with nine nested layers.

Each layer has its own reading rooms, divided into over a hundred thousand individual chambers.

Bookshelves are everywhere; to read, simply take a book into a room.

Zhao Xing, holding the token of the Director of the Classic Texts, went directly to the top floor, a spacious chamber.

In the Tianyuan Academy branch, only those of the Director of the Classic Texts rank may browse the supreme methods.

After entering, Zhao Xing began browsing the supreme method scripture collection.

"Here are ninety-two supreme methods recorded, but only one directly points to the Ultimate Dao, and even that only records the supreme stage of cultivation," Zhao Xing read.

"During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Great Zhou, there were seven Ultimate Methods of the Heavenly Timing Sect, not counting Li Baoqian's 'Pang Yuan Feng.'"

Of the seven Ultimate Methods of the Heavenly Timing Sect, three are Change-Response Methods, while the other four correspond to Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Cloud.

These precisely match the five branches within the Heavenly Timing Sect.

The Dili Sect also has five branches: King Di Zang, Earth Palace, Rift Soil, Mystic Soil, and Spirit Mountain.

Yet among these five branches, only three have Ultimate Methods.

King Di Zang, Earth Palace, and Rift Soil each have one, but Mountain Method and Mystic Soil Method do not.

As for the Benwo Sect, no need to mention it.

Because in the Yuan Qi Era, apart from the Ten Thousand Methods Grass Man, there were no Ultimate Methods—and even the Ten Thousand Methods Grass Man is powerful enough, especially in Liu Tianning's hands, showing a trend of overshadowing all other Ultimate Methods.

Therefore, whoever walks this path and cultivates a Supreme Method Body becomes the leader of the Benwo Sect.

The branches within the Benwo Sect are defined by plant categories; though the Benwo Sect has the most branches, they are more united and harmonious among themselves.

Unlike the Heavenly Timing Sect and the Dili Sect, which are riddled with factions and constant internal strife.

When selecting supreme methods, Zhao Xing looked only for those that could serve as a stepping stone to comprehending the Ultimate.

"Of these ninety-two supreme methods, only the 'Yunmen' Method points toward the Ultimate."

Zhao Xing pulled out the thick scripture: the 'Yunmen' Method is one of the nine supreme methods derived from the Ultimate Method 'Yun Tian Dao.'

Comprehending 'Yunmen' may one day lead to awakening the Ultimate Method.

Yun Tian Dao is both the name of the Ultimate Method and the name of its founder.

"Confirm second Heavenly Timing supreme method." Zhao Xing took the book back to his room.

"'Xuantian Thunder Method' and 'Yunmen'—these are what I will study in the coming period."

The Xuantian Thunder Method is also an Ultimate Method; what Geng Shouchang taught him is the Thunder Prison Chapter of the Ultimate Method.

Cultivating these two supreme methods will eliminate the need to switch later.

From this day forward, Zhao Xing began focusing on studying the two supreme methods: 'Xuantian Thunder Method' and 'Yunmen' at the Xuantian Academy.

Yet his progress, compared to his previous method comprehension, was remarkably slow.

Only after fully comprehending the first layer of the Divine Transformation Scripture could his avatar's comprehension speed be accelerated.

Time passed, and before he knew it, it was November 29th.

Inside the Star Palace, Zhao Xing's cultivation broke through again.

He had cultivated his third Life Star.

"Gulong~" Zhao Xing drank a drop of Yuan Soul Liquid, rapidly restoring his Life Soul to full strength.

At this moment, in his mind sea, bright dots appeared on his Life Soul's waist, abdomen, and both shoulders.

"Life Soul Seal: Three Stars. With this as a foundation, I can split a hundred Life Souls—even if my avatars are destroyed, my foundation remains unharmed."

"When seven stars appear, I will form the Seven-Star Soul Body, and my body's seven hun will also grow stronger," Zhao Xing closed his eyes and silently felt it.

King Tianyan watched from afar, clenching his fists in excitement.

"From November 7th until now, only twenty-three days to achieve three Life Stars!"

"He's the fastest again!"

Even while writing the Juan Sect records, King Tianyan could not stop trembling with excitement.

This wasn't writing records—it was writing history!

His name will surely be known to future generations as a witness to history!

"Hahaha, Zhao Xing, you brat, show some spirit!" said King Tianyan. "Whether I leave my name in history depends on you!"

Liu Tianning was only ninth in history—he lacks sufficient weight.

But Zhao Xing is breaking historical records with every step—he will surely be remembered as number one!

"When the dynasty falls, I'll just be another prince in the river of history. I'm a mandarin—I might not even be remembered."

"But a cultivation record like this will definitely be remembered!"

"Hehe, that kid Luo Hou—I'll have something to brag about to him now."

King Tianyan had no trace of princely arrogance; he laughed happily to himself.

…………

Three-star Soul Star greatly aids the comprehension of clones.

Because the Divine Expansion Scripture perfectly complements the Ten Thousand Methods Straw Figure, practicing this art enhances the Straw Figure's effects accordingly.

On the twenty-fifth day of the eleventh month, Zhao Xing entered the Secret Law Tower of the Tianyuan Branch Academy.

He could enter freely for five days each month—he couldn't afford to waste it.

"Like the Lihuo Dao Academy, this Secret Law Tower is forged from fragments of a miniature world," Zhao Xing said, gazing at the vast sky around him.

"Staying here increases one's affinity with the Five Elements and Heavenly Forces by dozens of times—easier to comprehend the Dao."

At this moment, the forces of Heaven and Earth were fully visible to the naked eye.

The sky constantly radiated seven-colored auroras—metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder—the ways of Heaven and Earth were clearly visible.

One day spent here equaled dozens of days of practice outside.

This property of the Secret Law Tower made every day inside extremely precious.

Of course, only those of the rank of Director of Classics or Deputy Dean could use such resources.

"Keep comprehending—I feel Thunder Art is about to be mastered!" Zhao Xing resumed his practice.

Especially after his Divine Expansion Scripture reached Three-star Soul Star, he felt his progress had accelerated further.

…………

Xuantian Academy, Tianyuan Branch, Secret Law Tower, Eighth Level.

An old man dressed in coarse linen, with a wooden hairpin stuck in his hair, wandered leisurely inside the Secret Law Tower.

He looked utterly plain, like an old farmer strolling calmly through each level of the tower.

Many Agricultural Officials inside the tower were casting spells, training hard, striking the Spell Walls.

The gray-clad old man watched them cheerfully, passing through the bustling training grounds.

"Hey, kid, where are you aiming? Your Thunder Art's about to hit someone else—the Spell Wall's over there! East! East!"

Li Bqian muttered, watching a young, inexperienced Agricultural Official.

But the young man couldn't see him—he scratched his head in frustration, staring at his test results.

"The Qi flow for Palm Thunder must pass through the Hegu point—you'll only hit your target then. You're routing it through Laogong—you'll practice ten thousand times and still miss wildly."

"Who? Who's speaking?" The young Agricultural Official looked around but saw no one.

He then blindly followed the advice—and found his accuracy improved dramatically.

Li Bqian smiled faintly and continued upward.

Whenever he saw someone practicing poorly, he couldn't help but offer advice.

"You don't blow wind like that! The Gale Art is Yang wind—fierce and powerful. You must control it from the start, or everything will fall apart later."

……

"Rain and thunder aren't incompatible! Why do you insist on thunder before rain? Does no thunder mean no rain? Stop practicing Rain Art and Thunder Art for now—first learn Cloud Art."

……

"Another Agricultural Official summoning a deity? No—this is a priest summoning the Agricultural Deity… and he looks oddly familiar… Oh, it's my teacher."

Li Bqian bowed slightly, then continued upward.

He moved like a farmer walking through a wheat field, selecting and pruning stalks, removing weeds, and straightening fallen seedlings.

He walked all the way to the eighty-ninth level, then seemed tired and leaned against a large tree to rest.

Beneath the tree sat a fourth-rank Guardian, yet he sensed nothing of Li Bqian's arrival—he was lecturing to only about fifteen or so students.

Here, the teachings were advanced—few could understand them.

Li Bqian had intended to rest, but after closing his eyes, he couldn't sleep at all.

Because the Dao-teacher named Huang Dian taught terribly.

Li Bqian couldn't help but pinch his ear: "Incompetent official! Stop misleading these students! The insect witchcraft of the Southern Barbarians can't be wiped out with the Dàshǔ solar term! If it were that simple, would the war last so long? Hehe, you teach them to use the 'Earthworm Seasonal Change Art' against enemies? Utter ignorance!"

"If you were sent to the battlefield, the insects would overrun the land!"

Guardian Huang Dian jumped in shock: "Who? Who's speaking! Who are you, daring to question me?"

Li Bqian stepped behind him and kicked him off the podium: "Do you need some title to be questioned? You're so full of official airs—go back to farming. Don't come teaching!"

Though the kick was light, the fourth-rank official Huang Dian vanished instantly.

A puff of mist rose from his body, and he disappeared mysteriously from the podium.

The next instant, he appeared outside the Secret Law Tower, over fifty li away, in the Dean's official office.

Huang Dian saw Lu Chunhua and was stunned: "Dean? How did I get here…?"

Lu Chunhua put down his wolf-hair brush and asked calmly: "Mr. Huang, were you kicked?"

Huang Dian was even more shocked: "How did you know?"

"What did the one who kicked you say?"

"He told me to go back to farming…"

Lu Chunhua nodded: "Mm, Mr. Huang, you're transferred to the Department of Agriculture."

"What, this…?" Huang Dian froze.

"Remember, before you go, ask Li Xiu to cast a Silence Spell on you—don't tell anyone, and don't speculate. Otherwise, you can go home for good."

"... Yes, yes." Huang Dian's heart trembled; he instantly fell silent.

……

After kicking Huang Dian, Grand Agricultural Officer Li Baiqian had planned to return and play go.

Above the ninetieth floor, there was nothing worth seeing—likely just veteran Agricultural Officers in seclusion.

Yet at the last moment, Li Baiqian suddenly changed his mind.

With a single step, he vanished from the eighty-ninth floor.

The next instant, he arrived on the ninetieth floor, on a mist-wreathed meadow.

Zhao Xing, who was meditating, was startled.

Someone had suddenly appeared inside his Mist Concealment Art.

To study Cloud Art, you cannot study only Cloud Art—Cloud Art and Mist Concealment Art share many similarities.

Zhao Xing had been cross-verifying high-level arts, never expecting someone to appear suddenly within his clouds and mist.

And he couldn't even see them—only sense a shadow zipping into existence out of thin air!

Li Baiqian had originally intended to remain unseen, say nothing, and leave immediately.

But then he looked closely.

"Oh? Ten Thousand Arts Avatar?"