Chapter 72: Moving Clouds Showdown—More Experts?

Nine revolutions of the Yin Wind spell, and Zhao Xing's confidence surged.

He hadn't originally dared hope to snatch one of the first few sticks of incense, but now he had a certain measure of assurance.

"The temple gates are about to open. Hurry and recover your vitality."

Zhao Xing hurriedly pulled three Essence Gathering Pills from his bamboo case and swallowed them, then bit into a Heaven Essence Pear; his complexion immediately flushed with color.

Once his vitality had recovered past half, he glanced at the sundial.

"It's already the sixth quarter of the Hai hour. Only two quarters left before the temple gates open."

Zhao Xing swept his gaze across the Heaven Altar plaza and noticed Shen Zhui had still not arrived.

"I wonder what he's been through—even the second night's incense competition has been delayed."

"Hopefully it's something good."

The first night, he also hadn't come to compete for the head incense, but had hidden in a mountain cave taking Vermilion Fruit to break through.

After thinking it over, Zhao Xing walked toward another side of the plaza.

"Young Master Zong."

Zong Shichang had been conferring with the people beside him and was irritated at being interrupted mid-sentence. The moment he saw it was Zhao Xing, his brow immediately relaxed and he said with a smile: "What happened to you? Just a short while apart, and you look a bit drained?"

The Ten Thousand Laws Spiritual Essence had pushed Zhao Xing's Yin Wind straight from beginner to nine revolutions, but it had also consumed a massive amount of vitality—mainly Strength Soul and Qi Soul. After this violent bout of cultivation, the fluctuations were so great that Zhao Xing now looked somewhat listless.

Zhao Xing ignored Zong Shichang's teasing and got straight to the point: "When we enter the divine temple to compete for the head incense later, how about we go together?"

Zong Shichang's face showed difficulty upon hearing this, and he said quietly: "Honestly, I'm willing, but the group I've pulled together will only protect me—they may not be able to keep you fully safe. Give me a moment to ask."

Zhao Xing nodded. Zong Shichang was only at the fourth stage of Essence Gathering; if combat came and they were to let this pampered young master call the shots, that would be absurd.

If Zong Shichang could simply call the shots, Zhao Xing would have turned and walked away on the spot—this would be treating life as a joke.

Zong Shichang turned back and conferred in low voices with the crowd.

Roughly seventeen or eighteen people had gathered around him.

The first tier, of course, was those three at the eighth stage of Essence Gathering—hired with his father's money.

Since they were hired, Zong Shichang couldn't order them around; for most actions, Zong Shichang had to heed the experts' opinions.

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Zong Shichang knew his limits too—he would never presume to instruct the professionals as an amateur.

The second tier had five people, at the seventh stage of Essence Gathering. They were relatively young, outstanding youths from Nanyang Commandery, part of Zong Shichang's own connections. They had agreed to act together, but there was no master-servant relationship—only cooperation.

The third tier was at the fifth or sixth stage of Essence Gathering, recruited by Zong Shichang with silver notes; this group could actually take orders from him.

Zong Shichang himself was a fun-loving sort, and he had no objection to Zhao Xing joining.

The more the merrier—he wished everyone on the Heaven Altar plaza would come over and join his party!

But he knew what mattered. He felt Zhao Xing's chances of joining were slim—after all, a Farming Official had no real combat ability, and in Zong Shichang's impression, Zhao Xing's rank wasn't high; at least, Zong Shichang couldn't tell.

Yet the moment he opened his mouth to speak, a tall, lean middle-aged man carrying four war blades on his back spoke up: "Young Master Zong, I think we can let him join."

"Huh?" Zong Shichang was taken aback and looked toward 'Uncle Cang,' the expert his father had hired.

"Indeed, Old Cang is right." Another middle-aged swordsman, with a mole at the corner of his mouth, also spoke: "Young Master, you could take this chance to learn as well."

Zong Shichang was a bit dumbfounded: "Uncle Cang, Uncle Hu, are you joking? Just now when I borrowed silver, you two weren't even willing."

He couldn't quite gauge the situation and thought these two were being sarcastic—giving the silver and now wanting to bring someone along too? Zong Shichang, have you no self-awareness?

"Times change." Uncle Cang smiled. "Before he absorbed the third portion of Spiritual Essence, he could only barely be considered useful."

"But after absorbing the third portion of Spiritual Essence…" A strange gleam flashed in Swordsman 'Uncle Hu's' eyes. "I actually felt an intense threat from this kid—the kind of threat between life and death."

Two of the three experts agreed; the remaining one said nothing.

Silence meant no objection. Zong Shichang, surprised, quickly caught on and laughed: "Actually, I saw it long ago. See, my two hundred silver notes earlier were justified after all!"

The three experts smiled without a word.

You saw it?

You saw nothing! That was pure squandering, okay!

"Ahem, I'll go tell him right now." Seeing no one play along, Zong Shichang stopped blowing his own horn, turned around, and came to Zhao Xing.

"Brother Zhao, I've got it all sorted. You'll come with us to compete for the incense later."

Zhao Xing had actually heard everything, but he still gave a thumbs up: "Impressive, gotta hand it to Young Master Zong."

"Ah, it's nothing." Zong Shichang felt thoroughly pleased, the smile on his face growing ever brighter.

"We've still got some time—shall I brief you on the players?"

"Good." Zhao Xing listened attentively; he really didn't know much about these experts.

Zong Shichang stood beside Zhao Xing and pointed toward a corner of the Heaven Altar plaza: "See that chrysanthemum-faced guy with the feather fan? His name is Wen Zhao, ninth stage of Essence Gathering, thirty-six this year, a clerk in the Nanyang Commandery Ritual Hall."

"He's a Ritual Cultivator, especially skilled in 'Harmony Ritual' and 'Fire Ritual.'"

"He won the fifth stick of incense last night."

Zhao Xing nodded slightly. He had also noticed this was a Ritual Cultivator—when he had entered the Heaven Altar plaza, it was this man who had burned a few of his straw figures.

"The blade-wielder beside him is called Zhang Boran, eighth stage of Essence Gathering, his cousin. He uses a third-grade superior 'Tiger Ring Blade' and is skilled in a mid-grade secret technique, 'Tiger Malice Blade.'"

"These two, one civil and one martial, work very well together."

Zong Shichang shifted his finger and pointed in another direction: "That fellow wearing a straw raincoat with a drab, grayish head—that's Cao Qiushui, ninth stage of Essence Gathering."

"He's also a Farming Official clerk, from the younger generation of the main Cao family line. He's ranked third, and his strength is also third. Not as good as his eldest brother Cao Chunfang, nor as good as his seventh brother Cao Wang Dong."

Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow: "The Cao family—are they descendants of a True Monarch?"

Zong Shichang curled his lip and said: "They are indeed descendants of True Monarch Cao Xi, but that bloodline's been over a thousand years now, nothing remarkable. As the saying goes, 'a weasel giving birth to a sickly chick.'"

Seeing that he wasn't going to continue, Zhao Xing reluctantly played straight man: "What do you mean?"

Zong Shichang laughed: "Each generation worse than the last. The Cao family hasn't produced a single fifth-rank official in nearly three hundred years, and that one was a scattered rank at that."

Zhao Xing said: "Can't really blame them for not trying—great clans have it genuinely tough in this era."

Zong Shichang nodded and said: "Indeed, that person was too ruthless, kept sucking the noble clans' blood…"

Zhao Xing waved his hand: "Don't stray off-topic, it's taboo."

Zong Shichang shut his mouth, looked around, then his eyes lit up as he pointed to the east side of the plaza: "She's here."

"Who?"

"Du Jiao Sect, of course. See the one holding the spear? Right, she's blocked by the woman holding the liuqin."

Zhao Xing glanced over and saw Lu Qian standing and chatting with the woman holding the liuqin, and behind the two of them was a cute girl a head shorter.

But that spear of hers was quite tall — it must have been nearly four meters long.

"I see her. True to her name, she really is quite petite… what are you laughing at?"

Before Zhao Xing could finish, he saw Zong Shichang covering his belly and secretly snickering.

"Is something wrong?"

Zong Shichang slapped his thigh and said: "Her name is Du Jiao Sect, but she's not petite at all — she's sitting down!"

"Huh?" Zhao Xing was stunned.

"Don't believe me? Let me show you." Zong Shichang picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it over. "Hey! Brother Du!"

The stone landed in front of the three girls. Lu Qian, who had been talking, frowned. Seeing it was Zong Shichang, she immediately scolded: "Zong Shiba, you ignorant bastard, what are you doing!"

Zong Shichang waved his hand: "Qianqian, your scolding sounds so lovely~ Come on, bark a couple more times for this young master to hear~"

Lu Qian flew into a rage and was about to charge over: "Are you trying to die?!"

At that moment, Du Jiao Sect stood up and grabbed her: "Qianqian, don't bother with him."

"Hmph." Lu Qian glared viciously and sat down in a huff.

Zong Shichang turned back: "See that?"

Zhao Xing nodded: "I saw. Truly shocking."

Du Jiao Sect stood up — she was actually eight chi tall!

A rough estimate put her at least two meters forty-five!

And her build was extremely robust, yet her face was cute and delicate — who would have thought she was a 'steel-waisted Barbie.'

"No wonder she uses such a long spear."

Zong Shichang said: "The Du family spear is very famous in Nanyang Commandery. Her father can be called the number one spear expert in Nanyang Commandery. This woman also knows at least three mid-tier secret techniques. Last night she got the second incense pillar — if she hadn't arrived a bit late, even Yang Junxiong might not have been able to win steadily against her."

Mentioning Yang Junxiong, Zong Shichang's tone also cooled: "Yang Junxiong, the one riding a bamboo horse, is the main culprit behind Brother Wang's death."

"Originally among the nine-rank Ju Yuan, there were also Hong Sihai, Dong Chuan, and Xiang Chenglin — three people with rather outstanding strength. But these three were already severely wounded by Yang Junxiong yesterday and had to descend the mountain early, ending this Dengshan trip."

Severely wounding three nine-rank Ju Yuan experts? Zhao Xing was slightly surprised: "Could this Yang Junxiong have already entered the realm of ranks? What's his background?"

During these three days on the mountain, only clerks were allowed up the mountain — and clerks are generally at a realm below the ranks.

But once on the mountain, if one had an opportunity, breaking through was possible.

"I don't know." Zong Shichang shook his head. "I haven't yet found out this person's origins. There are over a hundred counties in Nanyang Commandery, and I have no idea where this person popped up from."

"Damn it, he defeated so many people, he must have gotten quite a lot of Lingxiu. He's too strong — this young master can't avenge on the mountain."

Zong Shichang was very angry, and once they descended the mountain, everyone would forget everything anyway.

Zhao Xing reminded him: "Brother Zong, if he was originally nine-rank Ju Yuan and also obtained Lingxiu, then don't even think about revenge for now — staying alive is what matters."

"You should also pray that he's not coming for you. It would be best if Brother Wang's death was just something he did in passing."

"Forget it, let's not mention him."

Zong Shichang sulkily opened his Wen Zhu box. Whether it was because mentioning Yang Junxiong made him hot-tempered or because he'd talked himself dry, he took out the iced plum soup and gulped down two big mouthfuls.

Seeing Zong Shichang had lost the mood to talk, Zhao Xing asked no more and silently accumulated strength, waiting for the temple doors to open.

In the final quarter-hour before the temple doors opened, fewer and fewer people remained on the Heaven Altar plaza.

Because the sky had already gone completely dark, clerks without the 'Bright Eyes Night Vision' ability had long since withdrawn from the Heaven Altar plaza, keeping a good distance away.

Though there were far fewer people, the atmosphere grew increasingly solemn and heavy, and the murmuring dropped to a low murmur. By the approach of midnight, no one spoke at all.

They merely stared silently at the sundial's pointer on the plaza, because it was about to move out of the 'Cease Arms' zone.

Some couldn't bear such a solemn and heavy atmosphere and chose to withdraw at the last moment.

The number of people on the plaza dropped by another third.

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Zhao Xing's pupils emitted faint green light in the dark night, also staring at the pointer.

"Clang!"

Suddenly, a thick barrier of a bell toll sounded from the divine temple ahead.

And the sundial's pointer also pointed to the hour of Zi!

In the Zi-hour zone, two characters were carved: "Martial Supremacy!"

The great doors of the divine temple opened, and ten golden orbs of light drifted out from within.

Those were the 'incense offerings' needed to enter the temple and make offerings!

The incense offerings drifted above the Heaven Altar plaza, suspended without falling, like bright lanterns.

"Move!" Uncle Cang, who was beside Zong Shichang, immediately shouted.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Another person, 'Uncle Hu' of the eight-rank Ju Yuan, also swiftly leapt into the air, trying to snatch the incense offerings.

Only experts with sufficient confidence dared to compete for the first wave of incense offerings.

Although most of the others were tempted, they all held back and did not act.

Because in the Martial Supremacy hour, life and death are one's own responsibility!

On the vast Heaven Altar plaza, only twenty-one people dared to leap into the air to compete for the first incense.

But this did not mean the people on the ground were idle.

The very next moment after those twenty-one martial artists leapt up—

A voice rang out from the southeast of the plaza.

"In the use of rites, harmony is prized!"

The voice was mellow and gentle, sounding right beside one's ear, and for a brief instant everyone lost focus.

It was as if an old scholar with a capped headband were patiently and kindly guiding one by the ear.

At that moment, the twenty-one martial artists who had just leapt up lost all fighting spirit; twenty of them landed, some so unsteady on their feet they could barely stand after touching down.

"Wen Zhao!" Uncle Cang roared unwillingly. He and another person also could not help but descend.

Only a silver spear pierced the air, completely unaffected, and instead soared straight up to seize one of the incense sticks—it was Du Jiao Sect.

At the same time, the sound of hooves came from outside the plaza. A dark figure, riding a bamboo horse, flew across the sky, unaffected, and arriving later but first, snatched an incense stick ahead of Du Jiao Sect.

Then, without losing momentum, he landed before the stone steps leading to the divine temple.

"Yang Junxiong!" Du Jiao Sect's voice was soft and gentle, but her fighting spirit brimmed. When she landed, her position was nearly identical to Yang Junxiong's.

The stone steps could not accommodate many people passing through; who got the first incense depended entirely on who went up first.

"Get lost!" Yang Junxiong roared in fury. He too used a spear, but his was fiery red all over. His aura was terrifying, as if even his bamboo horse were cloaked in a layer of rosy light.

Even at such a distance, his roar still stung the ears of everyone in the plaza, yet Du Jiao Sect was completely oblivious.

"Mid-grade secret technique, Lion's Roar?" Du Jiao Sect leveled her spear to bar Yang Junxiong's path, her eyes shining. "You want me to get lost? That depends on whether you have the strength!"

These two were the first to seize the incense, but the third was Zhang Boran beside Wen Zhao, because he had jumped later and was unaffected.

Only after landing, he did not dare step forward.

Because Yang Junxiong and Du Jiao Sect blocked the way ahead, and he was only at the eighth stage of Qi Gathering, he did not dare approach at all.

Three incense sticks had been snatched, and the fighting in the plaza erupted in an instant.

Wen Zhao's suppression lasted only a moment before he released it, because he wanted to let Zhang Boran seize one.

"Moving Clouds!"

The instant the Zi hour arrived, Zhao Xing pointed a finger and immediately tried to prop up a cloud layer to shroud the entire Altar Plaza.

But before Moving Clouds, he had actually first deployed 【Yin Wind】.

He had Yin Wind swirl around himself to form one barrier, and outside the Yin Wind he used a wind-raising spell to form a second barrier.

After being tempered by the earth's-vein Yin Wind, the Myriad Law Lingxiu had toughened his soul, making it very hard to shake. Thus he was barely affected by Wen Zhao, but Yang Junxiong's Lion's Roar pierced through the wind wall.

The reason he was half a beat slow was mainly due to the nature of the spell—Moving Clouds also needed time to condense.

Almost at the moment the first batch of martial artists landed and Du Jiao Sect and Yang Junxiong seized the incense, Zhao Xing's Moving Clouds rose over the plaza.

He had to seize the initiative, otherwise the later Thunder-Drawing and Ice Rain would have no way to be cast, and he might not be able to snatch the incense.

"Moving Clouds!"

He was not the only one with the same idea; on the Altar Plaza, eight others cast in succession, trying to seize the advantage of the heavens.

Those who dared to act in the first batch were without exception absolutely confident in their own spells.

The plaza was only so large; it could not accommodate that many clouds.

Thus the first collision happened immediately.

"Boom—!"

"Boom—!"

Clouds collided, thunder roared, and for a moment the Altar Plaza was lit up bright as day.

Even Wen Zhao looked on and clicked his tongue secretly: "The rites of heaven-time have been thrown into such chaos; it seems this position of Si Nong is not the only one with a formidable figure besides Cao Qiushui."

"Boom—!"

On the west side of the plaza, Cao Qiushui, wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, had his Moving Clouds rolling like an inexhaustible torrent of river water, forcibly shoving aside the surrounding cloud layers.

Soon, in the half of the plaza where he stood, three people were defeated.

"Brother Cao's Flowing Cloud technique has reached the fifth revolution; I concede defeat."

"Many thanks to Brother Cao for showing mercy."

"Hmph, my skill is inferior; I have nothing to say."

"Thanks to all of you for yielding!" Cao Qiushui smiled and cupped his hands toward the three.

Just as he wanted to continue expanding the range of his Moving Clouds to cover the entire plaza, he discovered that the other half of the plaza, at some unknown point, also had only one cloud left.

It was because Zhao Xing had already dealt with the other competitors. He had not relied on Moving Clouds to suppress the other four.

He had purely, on the sly, driven a wisp of Yin Wind to launch a sneak attack on these four.

The fires of their souls were blown to the brink of collapse—how could they possibly still control their Moving Clouds?

They were immediately cut apart and devoured by Zhao Xing's cloud layer, becoming nourishment.

Thus Zhao Xing's beginner-grade cloud technique was no weaker in might than Cao Qiushui's mid-grade cloud technique.

"What's going on? Why has my Moving Cloud lost control?"

"Who is it? Who's plotting against me?!"

"Damnable!"

Curses rang out from four spots in the plaza.

"Zhao Sanjia, how did you…" Zong Shichang stared at the cloud layer overhead in disbelief.

He had not even known Zhao Xing was this formidable—able, in the very first moment, before so many experts, to prop up a cloud layer and defeat four other Si Nong.

"What astonishing control—how can his Moving Clouds devour another's cloud Qi?" After landing, Uncle Cang and Uncle Hu did not jump again but waited for a better chance. Seeing Zhao Xing's feat, they were greatly astonished.

Because they had not expected Zhao Xing to be of much use; at least in the first wave of incense-snatching, they had not hoped he would accomplish anything.

"That move again. In the previous examination, his cloud layer could devour Huang Tao's cloud layer and make it his own…" Zong Shichang was somewhat excited.

Ignoring the onlookers' astonishment, Zhao Xing swiftly controlled his cloud layer to absorb the defeated opponent's cloud Qi, readied himself, and while Cao Qiushui was busy showing off, charged headlong into him.

"Boom—!"

Thunder cracked again, and the cloud layer above Zhao Xing's head was scattered by a fifth from the impact.

But it was quickly drawn back in, revealing a startling degree of control.

The cloud layer above Cao Qiushui's head, though it held the advantage in the collision, had its rolling momentum impeded.

Although it was a passive collision, this still completely exceeded everyone's expectations, because Cao Qiushui was employing a mid-tier Flowing Cloud spell, while Zhao Xing was only using a beginner-tier Moving Cloud.

"Hm? Another expert?" Cao Qiushui looked in surprise toward a certain direction.