Chapter 61: A Vermilion Fruit Falls from the Sky

After the three Diamond Bamboos matured, they were quickly cut down.

Zhao Xing began patiently crafting Strength Scarecrows.

Since defeating Zong Shichang in the Start of Autumn examination, he had not neglected his Scarecrow Art either; cultivation took up a considerable share, and he had to spend two to three hours crafting scarecrows in Xue Wenzhong's backyard every day.

Among them, the Strength Scarecrow's progress was the fastest, because Zhao Xing felt the Strength Scarecrow was extremely useful — not to mention fighting, even for carrying bricks or plowing fields, the Strength Scarecrow was the first choice.

Currently, among Zhao Xing's five types of Scarecrow Art, the Return Scarecrow was at six rotations.

The Binding Scarecrow was at five rotations.

The Divine Step Scarecrow was at three rotations.

The Thorn Scarecrow was only at two rotations.

But the Strength Scarecrow had already reached the seven-rotation level!

"Three Diamond Bamboos can probably make about fifteen Strength Diamond constructs, but it's only been a little over two hours now — I might as well plant another batch."

"Green Vines are sufficient though; three Green Vines are enough to make forty or fifty Binding Scarecrows."

Zhao Xing took out three Diamond Bamboo seedlings from his bamboo-text chest and planted them again, then summoned clouds and rain, casting Flourishing Growth.

The soil fertility of East Lake Mountain was quite sufficient; even after one planting, Zhao Xing estimated these three Diamond Bamboo seedlings would mature in at most four or five hours.

The moving clouds enveloped the area below the cliff, and Zhao Xing began concentrating on crafting scarecrows.

【You crafted a Scarecrow Puppet (Strength), proficiency +5】

【Scarecrow Puppet (Strength)】

【Proficiency: 7201/9999】

【Effect: Indestructible, Boundless Strength.】

【You crafted a Scarecrow Puppet (Strength), proficiency +8】

【Scarecrow Puppet (Strength)】

【Proficiency: 7209/9999】

【Effect: Indestructible, Boundless Strength.】

The Scarecrow Art was easy to learn but hard to master; after the Strength Scarecrow reached seven rotations, it no longer provided proficiency for 【Every Tree a Soldier】.

Even using Diamond Bamboo materials, the proficiency the Strength Scarecrow itself gave was only single digits.

Zhao Xing's comprehension of spells had entered a gentle transitional period.

To perfect the Strength Scarecrow in a short time, he had to use more and better materials.

"Go hide on the outskirts."

After four Strength Diamond constructs came out, Zhao Xing had the four Strength Diamond constructs lie prone in the dirt nearby as prone lurkers.

Then he plucked two Green Vines, made two five-rotation scarecrows, and hid them in the trees, blending them into the environment.

With protection in place, Zhao Xing devoted himself even more attentively to crafting Scarecrow Puppets.

Fully concentrated, he was unaware of time passing.

Zhao Xing reached behind him, but felt nothing.

He found the materials were used up.

"Hoo~"

Zhao Xing let out a long breath, straightened his body, and rubbed his eyes.

"Took one hour, but the fifteen Strength Diamond constructs are finally done."

Slow work yields fine products; these fifteen Strength Diamond constructs were all extraordinary performances, quite full of spirit.

"Crack~"

Zhao Xing plucked a handful of Green Vine fruits to stave off hunger, lay on the Green Vine, and gazed at the sky.

The Heavenly Origin Pear had to be eaten at a critical moment; eating it now would be too wasteful.

"I wonder if Ziyu and Qian Dong have entered the mountain. I didn't seem to see them this morning. Shen Zhui of the Martial Bureau is at Gathering Yuan seventh rank, and he's quite popular in the Martial Bureau — he even invited companions, so there shouldn't be much problem."

In his leisure, he unconsciously thought of his friends, and Zhao Xing even felt a twinge of concern for Zong Shichang.

"I wonder if this young master has come down the mountain. Hmm? Why am I thinking about him? Is it really true that a full mouth and a soft hand make one short of words and deeds?"

Rolling over, Zhao Xing looked toward the distant mountain stream.

Suddenly a black dot appeared on the horizon, drawing Zhao Xing's attention.

Activating the Bright Pupil spell, Zhao Xing gazed into the distance.

He saw that above the mountain stream, someone was actually riding a horse through the air — the figure held a long spear, wore armor, and looked quite heroic.

"Hmm? Bamboo horse leaping the stream, riding through the air — which expert is this?"

"What is he jumping around for?"

Zhao Xing watched in puzzlement.

He saw that bamboo horse rider leaping back and forth over the mountain stream — just from what he watched, the rider had gone back and forth three or four times.

In mid-air, the rider even stood up on the horse's back, looking around in all directions, seemingly searching for something.

"Is he gathering spiritual essence?"

"I wonder what he discovered."

Spiritual essence in the mountains could be a tree, an object, even a handful of yellow earth, or a wisp of cloud.

Zhao Xing's eyes flickered; he stared at that patch of sky for a while, but found nothing unusual.

"Too far away, can't sense it."

After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and stopped paying attention.

The higher the grade of spiritual essence — upper, middle, or lower — the vaguer the resonance, and it could even be hard to identify.

Able to defeat the Gathering Yuan eighth-rank martial artist Zong Shichang hired, this person's strength might already be ninth rank.

Better not look too closely.

In the blink of an eye, dusk arrived. By now, the three stalks of Vajra Bamboo that Zhao Xing had newly planted were nearly mature.

"The destructive force of wild growth is still too great. Even though the Yuan Qi of East Lake Mountain is abundant, replanting in the same spot makes the second growth much slower," Zhao Xing muttered to himself.

"Good thing they're almost mature. Once they're ready and I finish making the straw effigies, I'll change locations in a bit. Tonight I'll rest well, recover my Yuan Qi, and climb Dengshan again tomorrow morning."

He was patiently waiting for the Vajra Bamboo to mature.

Suddenly—

"Rustle~"

The branches atop the Vajra Bamboo swayed, and the sound of bamboo leaves rustling reached his ears, as though something had fallen down.

"No way, something else fell?" Zhao Xing grew alert, but the next moment he could tell that whatever had fallen wasn't very big.

At least, it couldn't be a person.

? ttkan? co

"Could it be a rock breaking off the cliff?"

Zhao Xing walked over to the Vajra Bamboo and followed the sound to take a look.

He saw, caught on a branch of the Vajra Bamboo, a fist-sized, bright red fruit.

"Thump~ thump~"

The moment he saw this fruit, Zhao Xing's heart began to pound of its own accord.

A sudden premonition!

It was the resonance triggered upon encountering a Lingxiu!

"Damn, Lingxiu falling from the sky? This fruit is actually condensed Lingxiu from the mountain?"

But before Zhao Xing could get close—

"Rustle~"

"Rustle~"

Two more sounds of movement.

Two vermilion fruits dropped right at Zhao Xing's feet.

One was only fist-sized, but the other was as large as a baby's head!

"……"

Looking at the three vermilion fruits before him, Zhao Xing couldn't help feeling a bit dumbfounded.

From the resonance, these three vermilion fruits were at least low-grade Lingxiu, and the largest one might even reach mid-grade.

"Is the fortune of a Second-Derivation level really this strong? I haven't even gone up the mountain, just standing at the foot, and I can still pick up Lingxiu?"

Zhao Xing's heart pounded uncontrollably. The fragrance wafting from the fruit alone, just from a single whiff, refreshed his spirit, and the Yuan Qi he'd expended while weaving the straw effigies had actually recovered by half a tenth.

"Thank you, Mother Nature, for this gift." Zhao Xing grinned from ear to ear, bending down to pick up the vermilion fruits.

But just then, the Evil-Averting Almanac in his bosom suddenly flipped a page.

At the same time, a gentle female voice drifted over from the other side of the stream.

"Brother, so you're here. I've been searching for you so hard~"