Chapter 74: The Fifth Stick of Incense: The True Lord Manifests His Holiness

"Fair point, I usually just lie in bed and listen." Zong Zong Shichang wore it as a badge of honor rather than a source of shame. "Is there anything else to say about this?"

Zhao Xing pointed at the two who had descended from the Heavenly Altar: "Everyone who watches is an audience member. If you return the courtesy, it means you acknowledge them, and the dancers' and musicians' spells will improve somewhat."

"I bet those two are coming over to bow to us too. If you return the courtesy, you're giving them face. It's fine if you don't."

"The higher the caliber and appreciation of the audience, the more feedback the dancers and musicians gain from their performance. If you can even give gifts, their feedback increases even more—though there's a cap on that, of course."

This batch of incense recipients was a cut above those in the plaza, so Liu Liu Muqing and Lu Qian naturally wouldn't let the chance slip.

Sure enough, after coming down, they hurried over and bowed to Zong Zong Shichang's group.

Zhao Xing felt the two had performed quite well, so he cupped his hands in a brief salute—a sort of 'thumbs up' to the pair.

Lu Qian had been watching Zhao Xing the whole time. Seeing him return the courtesy with cupped hands, she pursed her lips.

This guy may be detestable, but at least he knows his manners.

If only he'd return the Que Ling Dharma Robe to her, that would be wonderful.

The others all gave face as well—after all, these two were also from families of prefecture-wide renown, and they knew Young Master Zong—so they returned the courtesy one after another.

While everyone else's return was perfectly proper, Zong Zong Shichang pulled a silver note from his robe and waved it at Lu Qian and Liu Liu Muqing: "Well done, my two young ladies! A reward for you!"

Lu Qian watched Zong Zong Shichang approach, grinding her teeth, itching to punch him twice, but ultimately held back, saying through clenched teeth: "Zong Zong Shichang, thank you so much!"

"That didn't sound sincere. No first-prize bonus for you." Zong Zong Shichang cheerfully handed the silver note to Lu Qian, while for Liu Liu Muqing he folded the note and tucked it into her hair bun.

Liu Liu Muqing then bowed again: "Many thanks, Young Master Zong."

"No need for such courtesy, Miss Liu." Zong Zong Shichang returned a very proper cupped-hand salute, and his voice grew much gentler.

After the two left, Zhao Xing nudged Zong Zong Shichang with his shoulder: "You've taken a fancy to this Miss Liu?"

Zong Zong Shichang turned his head: "Is it that obvious?"

Zhao Xing gave a snort of laughter and walked off: "Your eyes are practically growing on her. You think everyone's blind?"

Zong Zong Shichang muttered to himself: "Yeah, even you noticed. So why doesn't Miss Liu know how I feel…"

In the short time this took, the remaining two sticks of incense on the Heavenly Altar plaza were snatched up.

One of them was a man named Gu Feng, wielding a bow that flashed with silver light, with four or five others around him.

Meeting Zhao Xing's gaze, Gu Feng's expression shifted slightly.

He was the very bow-wielding martial artist who had attacked Zhao Xing during the day, trying to seize the Lingxiu. He hadn't expected Zhao Xing to have improved so much—after absorbing three portions of Lingxiu, he'd even surpassed Cao Cao Qiushui.

After some thought, Gu Feng ultimately didn't press forward and queued up at the back to wait.

The final stick of incense was claimed by a mechanism artisan. Beside him walked two tiger-like mechanism beasts, each over two meters tall, with two-foot-long fangs jutting from their mouths, gleaming with a cold, rippling light—truly extraordinary.

Behind the tigers followed four smaller mechanism beasts, oddly shaped, somewhat like lizards.

"Third-grade superior mechanism beasts? Six of them?" Zhao Xing looked them over, quite surprised.

The Artisan Sect's mechanisms are driven by formation arrays, and mechanism beasts are the most difficult craft within it.

Unlike straw-figure techniques, mechanism beasts can persist indefinitely, possess considerable spirituality, and can even cast spells hidden within their bodies.

But straw figures have a time limit and cannot persist forever; at low grades they have no spirituality to speak of.

However, straw-figure techniques aren't picky—withered grass will do. You can work with what's at hand, saving time and effort.

Mechanism beasts, on the other hand, require far more expensive materials, plus the time and effort to research formation arrays.

"This fellow's name is Hu Yang. Just over twenty and already capable of crafting third-grade mechanism beasts—he's truly a rare talent."

"Say what you will, Artisan Sect officials are really enviable. Being able to craft such powerful mechanism beasts is far superior to straw figures." said Zong Zong Shichang.

"I'm not envious in the slightest." Zhao Xing shook his head.

"Brother Zhao, don't talk tough." Zong Zong Shichang narrowed his eyes: "Speak from the heart."

"How old did you say he was?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Just over twenty. If I heard right, he should be twenty-one." said Zong Zong Shichang.

"Does he look twenty-one to you?" Zhao Xing asked.

"…" Zong Zong Shichang looked at Hu Yang's obvious forehead creases, crow's feet, and dark circles, and opened his mouth.

"Take another look at the top of his head. Any hair left?"

"…"

Zhao Xing shrugged: "Now you know why I'm not envious?"

"There's no such thing as outsmarting heaven with skill—it's all about trading your life for heaven's craft."

Zong Zong Shichang found himself utterly speechless.

Zhao Xing smiled and shifted his gaze away from Hu Yang.

No matter what, he would never research mechanism formation arrays, let alone craft mechanism beasts!

Trading life for heaven's craft—that saying is no joke.

In the path of mechanism formation arrays, many secret techniques later on require spending one's own heart's blood to awaken treasures.

Take the swordsmith's 'Heart-Blood Edge-Opening Art,' for example.

Put plainly, it means using one's lifespan as the price to enhance the spirituality, power, and so on of mechanism puppets.

As long as such secret techniques exist, one can't resist using them. Use a little today, a little tomorrow, and it accumulates over time… Even with a dynasty of fortune bestowing blessings and extending lifespan, you still can't keep up!

The above is still on the better end. There are also madmen craving fame across the realm who just sacrifice themselves in one go—even Gan Jiang and Mo Ye would have to tip their hats and say 'badass.'

Zhao Xing would absolutely, positively never research Artisan Sect formation arrays, nor would he do anything that costs lifespan. Of course, he did quite like using Artisan Sect treasures.

Those on the Heavenly Altar plaza waited for the second wave of incense, while those below waited for Yang Junxiong and Du Jiao Sect's battle to end.

Suddenly, Zhao Xing noticed the two had slowed down, and their light-shadows were gradually dimming.

"Clang!"

As a crisp ring rang out, everyone's ears rang and they hurriedly stepped back a few paces.

And the two light-shadows finally separated, revealing their true forms.

The battle between Yang Junxiong and Du Jiao Sect finally came to an end.

"Sister Jiao Sect!"

Lu Qian and Liu Muqing hurriedly ran over.

"I'm fine."

Du Jiao Sect was breathing slightly, her hair in disarray.

Yang Junxiong's hair wasn't even mussed, his breathing steady — it seemed the fight just now had been effortless for him.

"She's gotten stronger again." Zong Zong Shichang sighed. "Lips untouched by any kiss, yet her punch slays the young lad — who would dare take her at this rate?"

"Brother Zong, Ranked martial artists have sharp ears. If you don't watch your tongue, I'm afraid that young lad beaten to death will be you." Zhao Xing said lightly.

"Ahem." Zong Zong Shichang changed the subject: "What do we do now? Should we make our move?"

"Let's wait and see."

Zhao Xing stared ahead.

Yang Junxiong's spear tip pointed at Lu Qian and Liu Muqing, who had rushed over: "If you keep entangling me, I'll find a way to cripple you and your friend."

"You— you despicable—!"

"Shameless!"

The moment these words left his mouth, Lu Qian and Liu Muqing's expressions changed.

Du Jiao Sect stopped the two, stared at Yang Junxiong for a moment, then nodded: "I'll let you have the first incense."

Yang Junxiong retracted his long spear, clamped his legs, and shot up the steps like a streak of light, entering the temple.

"Didn't expect this Du Jiao Sect to value loyalty so much." Wen Zhao shook his feather fan. "She's actually willing to give up the chance at the first incense for her friends."

"Truly rare — no one can remember what happens on the mountain, yet she still acts this way. Her heart is pure; no wonder her spearplay is so formidable." Zhang Boran was somewhat moved. "But she probably also felt she had no confidence in winning the first incense, so she gave up."

"Enough talk. Get ready."

After Yang Junxiong entered the temple, Du Jiao Sect escorted Lu Qian and Liu Muqing inside.

When a Ranked strong cultivator wants to do this, no one dares object.

They could only watch helplessly as they took the first four slots for worshipping the god.

Now the positions for the first four incense sticks were filled.

The pressure instantly landed on Wen Zhao and Zhang Boran.

The instant Du Jiao Sect and the other two stepped onto the stairs, Zhang Boran immediately began his sprint.

Wen Zhao, meanwhile, muttered an incantation: "At my feet the east descends to the heavens' edge, my qi sweeps the world to settle the distant."

Zhang Boran's speed suddenly surged, his momentum instantly climbing to the ninth stage of Qi Gathering!

The hundred-step stone staircase — he was up it in almost an instant.

But just as Wen Zhao thought Zhang Boran would be the fifth to enter, he saw Zhang Boran suddenly run back even faster.

"Cousin— wh-what are you doing?" Wen Zhao was utterly stunned.

Zhang Boran's face was expressionless. He raised his fist and struck at Wen Zhao.

"What? Cease Hostilities—"

Before Wen Zhao could finish, he was hit squarely by the punch, teeth flying everywhere, and sent tumbling backward — his fate unknown.

This bizarre scene made the eager crowd halt their steps, uncertain and wary.

What was going on?

Zhao Xing, meanwhile, glanced back at Pang Yuan Bo beside Zong Zong Shichang.

Just now, this Pang Yuan Bo, who had kept a low profile all along, had made his move.

The divine statue in his eyes vanished, reappearing behind Zhang Boran.

It spread its limbs, pressing flat against Zhang Boran's body, controlling him like a marionette.

"Spirit-writing to invite a god — usually one invites it onto oneself, yet this Pang Yuan Bo can actually invite a Yin God onto someone else? He's got something." Zhao Xing had originally planned to make a move, but once his bright eyes saw what was happening on Zhang Boran, he stopped.

"Young Master, you may go in now." Pang Yuan Bo, who had not spoken until now, suddenly spoke, his tone somewhat eerie.

Zong Zong Shichang, however, looked at Zhao Xing and yielded the chance at the fifth incense: "Zhao Sanjia, you go first — having you cover the rear isn't appropriate."

Zhao Xing glanced at Pang Yuan Bo; the latter showed no reaction.

"Alright."

Zhao Xing didn't stand on ceremony either. He immediately sent Yin wind swirling around his body and drifted toward the stairs like a ghost.

Gu Feng behind him gripped his silver bow, but ultimately didn't dare make a move.

Some had noticed Pang Yuan Bo's peculiarity — making a move now might not secure the fifth incense.

Hu Yang, standing between the two mechanical beasts, also remained unmoved.

He had never intended to vie for the top five in the first place, and the incense after the fifth were all about the same — the difference was negligible, not worth fighting over.

Thus, after Zhao Xing went in, Zong Zong Shichang, Uncle Cang, and Uncle Hu all entered safely.

Next came the bow-wielding martial artist Gu Feng, and the mechanism master Hu Yang.

Zhang Boran, on the other hand, was actually the last to enter.

After Pang Yuan Bo released his control, Zhang Boran came to his senses. Though he didn't understand what had happened, the last slot was right before his eyes, and with no time to worry about his cousin still unconscious, he went straight into the temple.

After Zhao Xing entered the temple, he did not see the four who had gone before him.

On the altar were offerings of the three sacrificial animals, and a divine statue holding a ruler gazed into the distance.

At a thought from Zhao Xing, the incense in his hand instantly caught fire. After bowing three times with hands clasped, he planted it in the incense burner.

He muttered: "Agricultural official Zhao Xing, beseeches the True Lord to manifest his holiness."

The incense burned — though it was clearly a thin wisp, smoke suddenly billowed forth, filling the entire great hall.

When he looked up again, the surroundings had instantly become shrouded in thick fog, and the light had dimmed.

The divine statue on the platform had vanished, replaced by a living, breathing giant.

It radiated specks of Jin Guang, standing a full three zhang tall.

This was the Yin Spirit manifesting its holiness.

"You have summoned this god to manifest. What do you seek?"

Zhao Xing cupped his hands and said, "I beg the True Lord to teach me how to obtain the golden cup spiritual essence guarded by the mountain cat."

He did not elaborate, for the Yin Spirit oversaw everything on the mountain and naturally knew what he meant.

Judging by the effect of the fifth incense stick, if this golden cup was a middle-grade spiritual essence, then after the True Lord manifested, he would generally be told the answer directly.

But what the mountain cat guarded was clearly not a middle-grade spiritual essence, but an upper-grade one.

In that case, he would still have to pass the Yin Spirit's trial.

"The golden cup is an upper-grade spiritual essence. If you wish to seek this method, you must undergo a trial."

"Once the incense burns out and you fail to pass the trial, it counts as wasting one opportunity."

"If you seek a middle-grade spiritual essence, this god can directly tell you a location, and it will require no effort."

"Have you thought it through?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Zhao Xing cupped his hands and said, "I choose to accept the trial. True Lord, please proceed."

The three-zhang-tall deity said, "One day, a fruit-tree planter came up East Lake Mountain. He offered this god the first incense, praying that it would not be windy these few days, because the pear trees in his orchard were in bloom."

"The second incense was offered by a boatman, who prayed to this god for an upstream wind, because his boat needed the wind's power to travel."

"The third incense was offered by a traveler about to journey far. He prayed to this god for no wind or rain."

"The fourth incense was offered by a farmer, who said his fields were parched and needed rain to transplant seedlings, praying for a heavy downpour today."

After speaking, the three-zhang-tall deity stared at Zhao Xing: "I have granted the wishes of four people. How should this be resolved?"

Zhao Xing was a minor clerk of the Agricultural Office, and the matter involved wind and rain — this was, in a way, a question tailored to the man.

Yet among these four people, one wanted wind, and one did not want wind.

One wanted rain, and one did not want rain.

Their wishes were completely at odds with one another.

If he failed to give an answer that satisfied the Yin Spirit before the incense burned out, it would mean wasting the opportunity for nothing.

But Zhao Xing did not need to think for long. Almost the instant the Yin Spirit finished speaking, he gave his answer.

"I have a method that may resolve the True Lord's dilemma."

The three-zhang-tall deity reminded him: "There is still time. You may think it over before answering."

Zhao Xing smiled faintly, confident: "Rain at night and clear skies by day; the wind blows along the water's surface and does not enter the pear orchard."

The three-zhang-tall deity nodded with a smile: "Well done."

Whoosh~

The thick smoke dispersed.

Zhao Xing came to his senses and found he was no longer inside the temple, but had appeared beneath a tree.

Directly ahead was the cave where the mountain cat lived.

A wind chime had also appeared in his hand.

"Many thanks to the True Lord for bestowing the method."

Zhao Xing cupped his hands toward the mountain.

One's personal affinity was already fixed, and to avoid pointless disputes after leaving the temple, once the incense was finished one would always be transported out of the temple, arriving directly at the desired location.

Zhao Xing took the wind chime and walked straight into the cave.

Not long after he entered.

"Ha~" A roar rang out, and a black shadow came streaking toward him like lightning.

But just as the attack was about to reach Zhao Xing, it suddenly stopped.

"Tinkle~"

The wind chime in Zhao Xing's hand swayed, emitting a clear, crisp sound.

"Meow?"

The mountain cat stopped, looking in confusion at the wind chime in Zhao Xing's hand.

Zhao Xing now also got a clear look at the mountain cat.

It was very small, no bigger than an ordinary house cat.

Two pairs of pointed little ears stood up atop its fuzzy little head; its gray little tail swayed gently, and great curiosity glimmered in its large eyes.

It seemed unable to understand why Zhao Xing had a wind chime from the mountain god's temple.

"There, there. From now on, you're with me." Zhao Xing crouched down and, with the hand holding the wind chime, beckoned to the mountain cat.

The mountain cat shrank its head back, seeming a little hesitant, but the waves of light radiating from the wind chime made it unable to resist drawing closer.

The wind chime from the mountain god's temple was imbued with the True Lord's aura, and its purpose was to tame the mountain cat.

The mountain cat was raised by that Yin Spirit to guard the four kinds of spiritual essence.

This was also why the mountain cat was capable of entering the ranked realm even while still at the cub stage.

The mountain cat had no idea how many spiritual essences of the mountain it had eaten over the years.

However, that Yin Spirit had also given the mountain cat a choice.

If it was unwilling to acknowledge a new master, Zhao Xing could only obtain the Fortune Golden Cup.

If it acknowledged a master, he could take the mountain cat along with him.

"Do you remember the vine-fragrant berries and white fragrant grass I fed you last time? From now on, you can eat as much as you want. If you're willing to come with me, come on over." Zhao Xing said softly.

"Meow~" After much hesitation, the mountain cat came over and nuzzled Zhao Xing's palm with its little head.

"Ding-ling~" The wind chime gave one last crisp ring, then dissolved into specks of Jin Guang scattered on the wind, flowing into Zhao Xing and the mountain cat's bodies.

Man and cat had established some kind of bond.

【Mountain Cat (Juvenile)】

【Bloodline: Spiritual Marrow Mutant (evolved from consuming many mountain spiritual marrows)】

【Grade: Ninth Rank, middle period】

【Innate Abilities: Divine Speed, Ninefold Healing】

【Secret Techniques: Lei Ting Sky-Rending Claw (mid-tier, eighth revolution), Wind-Treading Heavy Stomp (mid-tier, seventh revolution)】

Exotic beasts are not governed under the Qi Fortune Dynasty system, so the mountain cat's grade does not follow the nine-rank, thirteen-tier system set by the Great Zhou Grand Ancestor, but is instead calculated by the ancient cultivation system's four minor stages: Initial, Middle, Late, and Perfect.

Humans under the Qi Fortune system, on the other hand, are measured by the nine-rank, thirteen-tier system, and the difference between the two is considerable.

Looking at the data on the mountain cat on his panel, Zhao Xing grinned and lifted the cat onto his shoulder: "Little fellow, you won't regret this choice."

"Meow~" The mountain cat replied.

Zhao Xing clapped his hands and walked toward the cave interior.

Since the straw dummy had come once before, he was already familiar with the cave's interior.

Arriving once more before the massive white skeleton, Zhao Xing faintly pieced together everything that had once happened.

Another exotic beast had fought with the mountain cat's mother; in the end both were gravely wounded, and only this one cub survived.

"That golden cup — where did you put it?" Arriving before the four forked passages, Zhao Xing asked.

"Meow~" The mountain cat extended a paw and pointed at one of the passages.

"Hid it at the Venerable Han Bing Lotus Pool? You really are clever, keeping it safe, huh?" Zhao Xing smiled and pointed at the passage: "Go, fetch it."

"Whoosh~" Zhao Xing felt a weight on his shoulder, and then the mountain cat shot into the passage like a bolt of lightning.

In a single breath, the mountain cat went and returned, a cup larger than its own head clamped in its mouth.

"Meow meow?" The mountain cat leapt onto Zhao Xing's shoulder and nuzzled him.

"Yes, that's the one." Zhao Xing took the golden cup and held it up to examine it.

The cup had a soft texture, like jade, and faint mysterious patterns traced its body, as though containing the profound secrets of heaven and earth.

When Zhao Xing looked, the originally empty cup suddenly revealed a stream of golden qi within, which in an instant grew dense, like liquid.