Chapter 53: Drawing Thunder, Yin Wind, Ice Rain

After waiting a moment, Zhao Xing entered the Hall of Sages to seek a technique. There were no divine statues here, only spirit tablets, and their status was somewhat lower than that of a Yin deity enshrined alone.

But since he was only seeking mid- to low-tier techniques, it didn't matter.

Finding a secluded corner, Zhao Xing sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.

"This disciple has no particular preference—any school's technique will do. Whatever True Lord is willing to bestow the method, this disciple will learn it." Zhao Xing prayed silently.

His thought conveyed only one meaning: no pickiness!

As if hearing Zhao Xing's prayer, a faint breeze soon blew in, swirling around his body.

Zhao Xing involuntarily closed his eyes—this was the sign that the transmission had begun.

At the same time, among the densely packed spirit tablets of the sages, one tablet named "True Lord Zheng Lun" glowed faintly.

"Kill!"

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

"Neigh~"

"Enemy attack!"

Dark clouds hung low; the canyon was gloomy and forbidding.

Clashing arms and armored steeds; battle cries shook the heavens.

Zhao Xing found himself standing in a One-Line-Sky Canyon, pushing a grain cart, while from both canyon walls above, rolling stones, logs, and a rain of arrows rained down.

Instinct made Zhao Xing want to cast a spell immediately, but he found himself seemingly insubstantial here.

Arrows passed through his body, not a hair harmed.

"So this is a scene of receiving the method through enlightenment. It seems the True Lord transmitting the law was a Military Agricultural Officer in life."

When one encounters a battlefield scene during enlightenment, the deceased was generally a Military Agricultural Officer—or rather, this person's main merits were earned on the battlefield, which is why they were enfeoffed.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~"

Arrows fell like rain.

Yet this grain convoy was not entirely without the ability to fight back.

The soldiers transporting the grain exerted a little force, and the grain cart before them flipped over; they then swiftly crawled beneath the cart and began moving together with both men and vehicle.

"Is this a Spirit-Returning Shield Cart?" Zhao Xing recognized it at a glance.

"Spirit-Returning Shield Carts, quickly form a defensive formation! Captain Congyun, immediately block the enemy's line of sight!"

A roar spread with the wind. Upon hearing this voice, the ambushed grain convoy began to mount its defense.

Zhao Xing looked toward the source of the voice and saw a middle-aged man in a golden straw raincoat and a Hundred-Flower conical hat, issuing commands.

Wind swirled around him; arrows that came within three feet of his body automatically deflected.

At the same time, several Agricultural Officers in identical attire stood beside him, their faces unclear, beginning to cast spells.

"Loyal and Manifest Captain, Grain Transport Officer Zheng Lun."

The man's name, official rank, and enfeoffment title naturally arose in Zhao Xing's mind.

"It seems it is this True Lord who is transmitting the method to me."

Focusing his mind, he began to carefully observe Zheng Lun's spellcasting.

Mist and clouds obscured the sight of the ambushers on both canyon walls, and the rain of arrows immediately lessened.

After ten breaths, the arrows, rolling stones, and logs ceased completely.

Because thunder began to rumble within the clouds—if they did not flee or take cover, they would all be struck dead by Zheng Lun's Lei Ting.

But even so, it was already too late to run.

"Boom-crack!"

Thunderbolts descended like threads of silk, striking straight through the enemies on the mountaintop and shattering them.

Even those hiding behind rocks were hit by lightning that could bend around them.

"Charge!"

The pressure of the attack from above eased slightly, but two more squads of soldiers charged out from the front and rear of the canyon.

"Great Halberdiers?!"

Zhao Xing recognized them—an ancient troop type. The charging soldiers each wielded a three-meter-long great halberd.

The soldiers were fully armored, even wearing faceplates, with only a pair of eyes exposed. Atop their helmets were a pair of fearsome ramming horns. As they charged, fist-sized stones were crushed beneath their feet, and the earth trembled.

The Great Halberdiers' blood qi was overwhelmingly powerful. Among the soldiers, a military banner blazed brilliantly; countless threads of blood qi gathered on the banner from the soldiers' bodies, and then a beam of rainbow light shot skyward.

"Hum~"

The cloud layer above the canyon was blasted open, leaving a gap.

"Swoosh Swoosh Swoosh~"

The grain soldiers inside the Spirit-Returning Shield Carts began firing arrows in return, but the arrows could not penetrate the armor at all.

Seeing the Great Halberdiers closing in, Zheng Lun acted again.

"Wind, come!"

A gale rose from flat ground within the canyon. As the wind swept past Zhao Xing, he actually shivered.

He looked at Zheng Lun, only to see a black storm raging within the man's eyes.

At the same time, this extraordinary sight was also reflected in the eyes of the Great Halberdiers.

"Thud!"

The first rank of Great Halberdiers collapsed without warning.

As if they were paper figures, they were easily blown down by this strange wind.

Rank after rank, like rice stalks pressed flat by a gale, the nearly five hundred Great Halberdiers were annihilated in the blink of an eye.

The other squad of Great Halberdiers, witnessing such an eerie sight, began to crumble and retreated back the way they came.

"Hmph!" Zheng Lun spun around and pointed; Xingyun quickly followed.

"Splash splash splash~"

The downpour came in torrents, and the halberdiers' speed immediately slowed, as if mired in sludge.

"All troops pursue! Kill the incoming enemy!"

Zheng Lun gave the order, and all soldiers emerged from the Soul-Returning Shield Carts, turning to pursue the routed enemy.

The grain convoy numbered no more than five hundred, but the two ambush forces plus the front and rear troops combined exceeded fifteen hundred—yet even so, they failed to take them down, and were instead beaten into headlong flight.

"So strong." Seeing this scene, Zhao Xing could not help but sigh in admiration.

In the heavy rain, enemy soldiers fell one after another, until at last their whole bodies stiffened and their faces turned pale.

Zhao Xing felt a sudden flash of insight.

He understood what spell this Military Crops Commissioner had imparted.

And it was at this very moment that everything suddenly stilled.

The cold-faced Zheng Lun turned his head to look at Zhao Xing, this "outsider," as if offering encouragement.

"Many thanks, True Lord."

Zhao Xing cupped his hands in a bow, and then the scene shattered completely.

【You received a transmission in the Hall of All Saints and comprehended the mid-tier spell 'Lightning Draw.'】

【Lightning Draw: Mid-tier Spell】

【Effect: Draws lightning to strike the ground, blasting enemies】

【Proficiency: 0/9999】

【You received a transmission in the Hall of All Saints and comprehended the mid-tier spell 'Yin Wind.'】

【Yin Wind: Mid-tier Spell】

【Effect: Yin Wind blows, souls scatter and perish.】

【Proficiency: 0/9999】

【You received a transmission in the Hall of All Saints and comprehended the mid-tier spell 'Ice Rain.'】

【Ice Rain: Mid-tier Spell】

【Effect: Raindrops turn to ice, qi and blood freeze into frost】

Zhao Xing opened his eyes, looked toward a row of spirit tablets enshrined there, bowed once more according to the ritual, then walked out of the great hall.

He had not expected that coming to the Hall of All Saints for a transmission this time would yield such an unexpected harvest—three mid-tier spells learned in one go.

And all of them were offensive types.

Under normal circumstances, Lightning Draw was relatively easy to learn, but Yin Wind and Ice Rain were exclusive to the Military Crops Commissioner; before formally being appointed to office, the chance of learning them was extremely low.

"Lightning Draw, Yin Wind, Ice Rain—these three are all upgraded versions of the Four Arts of Heavenly Timing. It seems I am skilled at countering, which is why this Military Crops Commissioner took notice of me and passed down these offensive spells."

This perfectly filled the gap in Zhao Xing's insufficient offensive power; he was no longer a Crops Commissioner who could only rely on straw men to dodge and hide, but one who possessed considerable killing power!

Back at the Crops Commissioner Office, Zhao Xing told Xue Wenzhong about the transmission. The old Crops Commissioner could not help but be stunned: "Lightning Draw I could still teach you, but Yin Wind and Ice Rain—I've never learned those either. You'll have to go find Chen Shijie."