Chapter 6: Temple Transmission of the Method

The agricultural sect's spells are countless; divided by school of thought, they fall into three categories.

Namely: the Heaven's Timing Sect, the Dili Sect, and the Benwo Sect.

The Heaven's Timing Sect's core doctrine is "Know Heaven's Timing, Set Heaven's Timing, Change Heaven's Timing."

They believe the most important condition for plant growth is Heaven's Timing.

In the primordial era, the Xuanhuang Continent once went through the "Calamity Epoch," when celestial phenomena were extremely unstable.

A single day could pass through all four seasons; a single year could see the seas turn to mulberry fields.

Even now, many places on the Xuanhuang Continent still possess this kind of chaotic celestial phenomenon.

For instance, mountain ranges perpetually burning with flames, and ice seas that never thaw.

In other places, the morning is a blazing sun hot enough to melt gold and iron, while at night water freezes into ice and men into corpses.

Some places are not so extreme, but they likewise exhibit situations of "the four seasons in disarray" and "the solar terms running backward."

Therefore, the agricultural "Heaven's Timing Sect" believes the direction of spell research is to know Heaven's Timing, change Heaven's Timing, and set Heaven's Timing, in order to create a stable environment for farming for the local people.

The most renowned spell canon is the "Solar Terms Decree."

After cultivation, one can regulate celestial phenomena and set the local solar terms; the spells within all revolve around this idea.

The Dili Sect's core doctrine, by contrast, holds that Heaven's Timing cannot be reversed, celestial phenomena cannot be changed — better to spend that effort on figuring out how to transform harsh lands into feng shui treasure sites.

Building on this foundation, one plants crops; under the dual influence of terrain and plants, the livable environment slowly extends outward and expands.

So long as the soil is improved enough to be fertile, even under the harshest weather, flowers will bloom and fruit will set.

Who would have thought that even on a Bingshan a delicate snow lotus could blossom!

The Dili Sect's classic secrets include the "Hou Tu Return-to-Origin Method" and the "King Di Zang Origin Gate Array"; this school is skilled with tools and formations, and walks closely with the Engineering Sect.

As for the "Benwo Sect," they declare: you lot are all trash.

What Heaven's Timing or terrain — all of it is external; strength in oneself is the only true strength!

The Benwo Sect holds that plants themselves are a kind of miracle, already brimming with resilient vitality, capable of adapting to any environment.

Gather all the rare flowers and strange herbs, divine trees and immortal branches under heaven, select the best and breed them; after several generations of this, one can obtain seeds capable of resisting every external factor.

The Benwo Sect believes spells should develop in the direction of "making plants grow ever stronger."

Its most famous canon is the "Myriad Things Growth Chart."

"In the current era, the Heaven's Timing Sect holds sway, occupying the mainstream thought; the Dili Sect and the Benwo Sect can only take a back seat."

"We'll have to wait until the Revival version for those two schools to truly shine — there'll even be Void Seeds that take root in the void, and miraculous soil that can push plants through several tiers of metamorphosis." On the road to the temple, Zhao Xing had already decided his current primary cultivation direction.

Mainly because he didn't have the conditions right now to walk the Dili Sect or Benwo Sect paths.

"My mobility is too weak right now. If I have the ability to travel far in the future, I could look for some of this era's treasures — things like the Lava Earth-Fire Lotus, the Bloodthirsty Vine, and the parasitic seeds and mutant strains preserved in several ancient great tombs."

"As for now… whatever I can get, I'll take."

The Gucheng Temple was a county-level temple.

The divine statues within were not some vague legendary deities; a small portion were famous historical figures, and most were civil officials and military generals of the deceased of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Some because they were brave and skilled in battle in life, some because their governance brought prosperity to a region — they were raised into the Great Zhou temples.

Among them, the civil officials and military generals of the Taizu's reign were the most numerous.

For instance, the main hall Zhao Xing was looking at now enshrined the "Earl of East Lake" from the Taizu era.

Born at East Lake in Gucheng, he made his living by fishing in his youth. During the period when Taizu campaigned against the Thousand Kingdoms and unified the chaotic age, he joined Duke Zhao's command as a chariot driver, and was ultimately enfeoffed as the Earl of East Lake.

After returning to his hometown, he scattered his entire fortune, built bridges and paved roads, transformed his homeland, and voluntarily gave up most of his fields for displaced peasants to farm, causing Gucheng to grow from a single town to the scale of a county.

After his death, he entered this temple to enjoy incense offerings, becoming a Yin God.

"The Earl of East Lake was skilled in martial arts; I'm here seeking a method, so it's not appropriate to ask him. This period is most suited to the development of the Si Nong profession, not other professions. I took the Dao Embryo Pill — if he sees my good foundation and thinks I should study martial arts, and I randomly get some martial scripture, that would be a waste of time."

Zhao Xing did not enter the hall; he merely lit incense and bowed before the bronze cauldron at the outer perimeter, intending to walk away.

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"Dong—!"

Inside the Earl of East Lake's shrine, the bronze bell rang of its own accord, carrying a powerful意念 that transmitted clearly into Zhao Xing's mind — as if urging him to stay, or persuading him not to leave.

Zhao Xing's face stiffened; he hadn't expected that bowing from outside the hall would cause trouble. The Earl of East Lake had actually manifested a spirit to actively urge him to stay?

The Dao Embryo Pill really is that awesome… Zhao Xing cupped his hands again in a bow, then quickened his pace and hurried off.

"Sigh."

After Zhao Xing left, the divine statue let out another faint, almost imperceptible sigh.

The temple officiant meditating in the hall glanced toward the door in some puzzlement, only to find it empty, not a soul in sight.

He looked up again at the divine statue, but received no revelation; he could only scratch his head and resume his meditation.

After this little episode, Zhao Xing didn't dare casually bow to just anyone anymore.

He quickened his steps and arrived at a side hall — the True Lord Cao Xi Hall.

"Cao Xi, in the early founding period, served as the Registry-of-T Fields Officer of Nanyang Commandery. Because he vigorously promoted the Engineering Sect's 'Return-to-Origin Waterwheel' and also built the Thirteen Canals of Pinghu, combining Engineering Sect formations to govern floods, he was classified as an outstanding figure of the agricultural Dili Sect."

"However, he was versed in many schools; he authored the 'Cao Xi's Treatise on Agriculture,' and was also a man of action. Bowing to him should not lead to any mishap."

"It's you, old sir."

Zhao Xing handed the county government office's approval document to the hall-guarding officiant. The officiant was a position of the Directorate of Ceremonies, in charge of the procedures for sacrificial rites.

It was the 'spirit-medium' profession in players' parlance, an early 'divine profession,' because this profession could invite gods to possess one's body and summon Yin Gods to fight.

There was a time when Zhao Xing had also wanted to switch to it for the thrill, but with the collapse of the Fortune Dynasty, its combat power dropped sharply; in the Revival version, wanting to grow stronger was extremely difficult and complicated, so he could only give up.

Now there was even less chance he would abandon the Si Nong profession for a moment's pleasure and choose this early-game divine profession.

"The document is in order. Once inside, sit cross-legged on the cushion and pray with a calm mind, that is all." The hall-guarding officiant was young in age but spoke with an air of self-importance: "Remember, the Dao cannot be forced; to gain anything is already a great blessing. If you gain nothing, it proves your strength has not arrived — come again next time. Do not let stray thoughts arise."

This was a reminder to Zhao Xing that if he failed to obtain a method, he should not give rise to any obsession or resentment, because Yin Gods are very sensitive to thoughts related to themselves.

"Yes, thank you, Officiant." Zhao Xing drew in a deep breath and stepped into the True Lord Cao Xi Hall.