Chapter 27: Breeding

The plants Zhao Xing chose were very particular.

The quality of the Green Vine, Fragrant Lotus, and Diamond Bamboo were lower-mid, mid, and upper of the second tier, respectively.

The grade couldn't be too low — too few points awarded; nor too high — three days was too short, making it hard to reach the scoring threshold.

There was also reasoning behind the effects: three days was too short for plants, but too long for the examinees.

The examination provided no food or drink, and one had to expend vital energy to cultivate plants — an extreme test of endurance.

The Green Vine Zhao Xing chose could bear Green Vine Fruit once mature, which would satisfy his hunger and restore his vital energy.

The Fragrant Lotus was an aquatic species — both its lotus seeds and roots were edible, and since he occupied the spring well, he had a great advantage in cultivating it.

The first two could ensure Zhao Xing passed the three days in good health and achieve a decent ranking — a guaranteed baseline. The upper second-tier Diamond Bamboo, however, was for pushing his score higher.

Being able to cultivate an upper second-tier plant would let him stand out and contend for the top list.

Moreover, the Diamond Bamboo itself was excellent material for casting 【Trees and Plants as Soldiers】. If anyone foolish enough came to sabotage him in the second half, he'd have more countermeasures ready.

The soil in the planting area had been tilled, but it was quite dry. To draw on the earth's energy, one had to dig deeper.

Zhao Xing cast the Wind Spell once more. Under his fine control, the wind connected with the clouds overhead, forming two small tornadoes about a person tall.

"Whooo~" The tornadoes skimmed the ground, precisely plowing the trenches deeper.

"Hm?" Wen Nanxing, who had just returned to his own plot, saw this and couldn't help but pause. "What exquisite spell control this person has!"

At the same level of spell, some people cast them far more exquisitely. Just as some people's Moving Clouds resembled a lump of cotton, Wen Nanxing could 【Form Clouds into Swords】, and Xiao Ze could 【Form Clouds into Tigers】. Not only were they more powerful, they had many more marvelous uses.

The study of technique depended entirely on individual comprehension. At this stage, a Junior Agricultural Clerk was like a child just starting school — some memorized by rote, some couldn't even memorize that, but others had already mastered everything and could draw inferences.

Without question, Zhao Xing was the last kind. Watching him, Wen Nanxing actually became somewhat mesmerized!

Only when Zhao Xing dismissed the tornadoes did he come back to his senses.

"When officials are recruited next year, this person will be my strongest competitor!"

Wen Nanxing gathered his thoughts and began to focus on the task at hand.

Zhao Xing had no idea that Wen Nanxing had already marked him as his number one rival. What others saw as exquisite spell control was, to him, merely basic operation — he didn't think it amounted to anything. Only when it reached the level of a senior agricultural clerk's 'Cloud in the Palm' or 'Three-Foot Heavenly Thunder' would it be worth mentioning.

"Damn, who dug the spring well this deep?"

Planting Green Vine seedlings and Diamond Bamboo seedlings was easy — just bury them and you're done.

But the Fragrant Lotus was an aquatic species and had to take root in water.

Zhao Xing ran to the spring well and took a look, only to find the well had been drilled at least 60 meters deep!

There were no tools nearby — wanted water? Then figure it out yourself!

"Chen Shijie, you really are a sneaky old fox, doing everything you can to torment people." Seeing this, Zhao Xing could only give up on the idea of planting the Fragrant Lotus seeds directly in the spring well.

No tools — how to get water?

Of course, use Moving Clouds to absorb it.

Zhao Xing lowered his Moving Clouds, bringing the cloud layer closer to the ground. At this point, the cloud qi could begin drawing moisture from the spring well.

Chen Shijie's intention was to make the clerks have to think laterally to get water.

Zhao Xing, finding it too slow, cast the tornado spell again — this time, the tornado was much larger.

It connected the cloud layer above to the spring well below.

Moisture surged upward continuously, rapidly pouring into the cloud layer.

"What a fine Dragon Sucking Water!" Chen Shijie had been watching the clerks who occupied the spring water, and discovered that once again, Zhao Xing was the first to solve the water problem — and with great efficiency!

"Xue Lao's words were too modest — how is he merely a good talent? He's simply a piece of fine jade! You taught him well!"

"I never taught him that move." Xue Wenzhong was also quite surprised watching, because he truly hadn't taught Zhao Xing this move — at least, he hadn't taught him the technique of 【Raising Wind】.

"Could it be that he merely watched my 'Three-Foot Heavenly Thunder' and 'Cloud in the Palm', and by analogy figured it out himself?" At this moment, Xue Wenzhong became even more certain of a certain idea in his heart.

On the day of Beginning of Autumn, the scorching heat was no less than during Great Heat.

Under a clear, bright sky, how difficult was it to make it rain?

Many clerks discovered that after their Moving Clouds, casting 【Spreading Rain】 had no effect at all. Spells below the third revolution were greatly affected by extreme weather!

Many clerks sighed in despair.

"Without water, in such scorching heat, the cultivation spells will be greatly diminished."

"Looks like we can only wait until nightfall to plant."

"What's the point of planting? Tomorrow will be the same — whatever you plant will die!"

"Sigh, my ability falls short. If only I could cast Rain at the third revolution…"

"Damn it, I'm done. Going home, going home — I'll just wait for the makeup exam."

Less than one hour after the exam began, many clerks had already given up — some because they hadn't secured a plot, others because they realized that even with a plot, they couldn't keep their plants alive.

These two factors alone screened out a third of the people. One after another, people withdrew early and abandoned this examination. There was no penalty anyway, and they couldn't become full officials anyway — why suffer here being someone's backdrop?

"Pitter-patter~"

Rain began to fall in various places across the planting area.

But everyone controlled it well, not letting the water flow to other areas — only within their own seedling plots. The examiners had long since calculated this: if you went to help others at this time, you would inevitably be dragged down yourself.

Besides, those with ability didn't need help, and helping those without ability this time was useless anyway.

Zhao Xing separated out a small cloud, only five meters across and two meters tall.

It traveled to the spring well, where he had dug out a small pit for planting the Fragrant Lotus.

"Splash~"

The small dark cloud, thick as ink, wasn't so much raining as pouring water!

In no time, the small pit was filled to the brim.

A layer of plant ash had been laid down inside beforehand. Once hit by the water, the soil and ash mixed, immediately turning turbid and forming mud.

"Twenty portions of Fragrant Lotus seeds should be about enough."

Zhao Xing took out the seed pouch and sowed them at intervals.

Lotus seeds are fragile and not yet suited for "Wild Growth," so Zhao Xing first used the "Robust Growth" spell.

Vital energy flowed without pause, and after an hour, the Fragrant Lotus seeds took root, sprouted, and broke through the soil.

"A hundred percent survival rate—phew~" Zhao Xing let out a breath of relief. The seedling and seed stage is the most fragile; one cannot afford the slightest carelessness.

But once this period is passed, things will be much easier afterward.

"Time for a drink of water first." Zhao Xing summoned a dark cloud, plunged his head into it, and drank in big gulps.

"In another four hours, once the three kinds of plants have taken root well enough, I can cast Wild Growth. But I can't rest just yet."

Zhao Xing looked around. The once drab yellow planting area was now full of green everywhere.

"To score a top-grade mark, I have to prepare for every eventuality." Glancing at his colleagues around him, Zhao Xing flashed a sly grin: "Sorry about this, but the nutrients in your fields are mine now."