Chapter 95: Start of Winter Assessment, Ghostly Spirit Enters the Dream, Great Omen!

"The abandoned smithy workshop in Anping Town was originally the old site of the Heavenly Craft Workshop from twelve years ago."

"When they were channeling the earth's fire to light the furnace, a major problem occurred—the fire of the earth veins went out of control, burning quite a few people to death at the time."

"My family used to have a factory set up here too. We had just finished building a new smithy workshop and recruited workers when the incident happened. Later, Nanyang Commandery issued a ban, and not long after it was shut down. A losing business, all in all."

Zhao Xing sat in Zong Zong Shichang's carriage, looking out at the stretches of barren land and dilapidated civilian houses.

They had circled around this plot of land for a quarter of an hour already, and there wasn't even a single decent tree to be found—mostly just very short, thin saplings.

Weeds were plentiful, though—mostly bizarrely shaped thorns. Only plants with such tenacious vitality could survive in scorched earth.

"Destruction comes easy, rebuilding hard. During the first three years, there wasn't a single blade of grass here, let alone a tree." Zong Zong Shichang said, "It's much better now. Chen Shijie still got quite a bit done."

"Indeed." Zhao Xing nodded slightly.

Chen Shijie had come to Gucheng to take up his post three years ago.

Before him, this scorched earth in Anping Town had been left unattended for nine years.

The previous chief official of the Agricultural Bureau was someone who feared getting involved and never dared to restore this land.

Because the land was directly approved by Nanyang Commandery, and the destruction was caused by Gucheng's Heavenly Craft Workshop, with commandery clans like the Zong family also investing in it.

The question of responsibility had never been sorted out, so it was simply left to sit.

The higher-ups didn't care, and Gucheng's County Magistrate Li Wenzheng didn't want to care either.

The previous chief official of the Agricultural Bureau didn't dare to care.

So this plot of land in Anping Town and the workshop buildings on it were left to rot for nine years, until Chen Shijie came along.

Once he learned of it, he set about restoring it without a second word.

Li Wenzheng didn't want to get involved, nor did he stop him, but offering help was out of the question.

Chen Shijie planned to lead the Agricultural Bureau's assistant officials to get to work.

Every week he would come down to cast Dili Sect spells to regulate the earth veins and carry out soil restoration.

This was thankless toil. At the time, only Xue Wenzhong expressed support right away. Tang Wanchun, Gao Li, Pang Yuan, and others all felt it was too difficult and opposed it.

Old Chen was domineering—too difficult? Then don't do anything at all!

He halted all administrative affairs of the Agricultural Bureau. No matter what matters Tang Wanchun, Gao Li, Pang Yuan, and the others submitted, the answer was two words: not approved.

Old Chen's attitude was: since you want to slack off, then let's rot all the way to the bottom. We'll all get rated as 'mediocre officials' these few years.

He was sent down here as punishment anyway, never wanted this Civil Agricultural post in the first place, and wasn't afraid of being demoted again.

With no way out, the assistant officials of the Agricultural Bureau had to hold their noses and get to work.

Afterward, Old Chen went to the Agricultural Bureau to find Gongsun Yang, requesting to borrow personnel and the workshop's divine weapons. Gongsun Yang refused at first too, afraid of getting dragged into trouble.

The result was that Chen Shijie stared down Gongsun Yang every day, hailing on his ancestors' graves whenever he had nothing to do. Whatever the Gongsun family planted on their land died—either wind or rain.

Upon learning of this, Gongsun Yang stormed off in a fury to confront Chen Shijie.

What? You ask why the weather over your ancestors' graves and land is so terrible?

Didn't I tell you earlier that I need to borrow tools and personnel to carry out the work? You refused yourself.

Sorry, this official only has so much ability. I can't manage Gucheng's weather properly. If you've got the guts, you old undying thing, go report me to Juncheng!

Gongsun Yang was so angry he yanked out all his beard.

With no way out, he could only agree to his demands.

It took a year for Chen Shijie to restore this scorched earth to the level of wasteland.

Next, Chen Shijie reported his merits to the commandery. The higher-ups knew this man was a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, and could only pinch their noses and give him a commendation.

Although the abandoned workshop buildings still hadn't been demolished, this matter also let Chen Shijie establish a firm foothold in Gucheng, won over the hearts of the Agricultural Bureau's people, and impressed Gongsun Yang and Li Wenzheng.

Therefore, in the Agricultural Bureau, Chen Shijie always had the final say, and no one dared oppose him.

"Old Chen's first political achievement was right here. Now he's about to leave, and he's set up this scheme to lure the Xuantian Sect right here too, planning to grab a share of military merit… He really does have a bit of OCD." Zhao Xing looked outside.

November is the last yang month, and Chen Shijie's transfer isn't exactly a secret.

This assessment in Anping Town has many participants, and unlike the Autumn Equinox mountain opening, there are no East Lake troops maintaining order, no commandery inspectors present.

The defensive force looks rather thin.

Zhao Xing felt that if he were a leader of the Xuantian Sect, he'd also seize this opportunity to strike.

Chen Shijie guessed that the Xuantian Sect would very likely take this opportunity to strike.

The Xuantian Sect guessed that Chen Shijie would guess they would strike.

"These possibilities aren't hard to guess… It all comes down to who dares to act, and who has done more thorough preparation." Zhao Xing thought silently.

From 'historical experience,' the Xuantian Sect's planning during the Jingxin era drew lessons from past failures, and their operations were more successful than ever before.

Did the Xuantian Sect succeed or fail here in Nanyang Commandery? Zhao Xing didn't know, but with his own reminder, Old Chen's plan had undergone major changes from the original.

What the outcome would be, Zhao Xing couldn't be sure of either.

Still, his mindset was quite good.

"There's no life-threatening danger either way. If by some chance I get dragged onto the Xuantian Sect's pirate ship, then I'll just do a good job on the pirate ship. It's not like there's no way to endure until the Revival Era in a sect faction." Mixing in anywhere is mixing in—Zhao Xing wasn't that rigid. But the path of the Fortune Dynasty was still more stable; inwardly he still hoped not to get captured.

The Agricultural Bureau's Start of Winter assessment begins on the afternoon of November 7th.

The assessments for clerks of the other bureaus are also at a unified time.

It's called a joint assessment, but really it's just throwing the clerks into one area—the content is completely different.

There's no real competition across professions either; it's mainly rivalry within the same profession.

The Agricultural Bureau's assessment requires growing at least ten different types of plants on this scorched earth.

The Heavenly Craft Workshop's assessment requires clerks to build a new furnace here and reignite the fire of the earth veins.

The Weaving Bureau's assessment is to weave ritual robes for martial artists, mechanism masters, agricultural officials, and ceremonial officials—limited to only four types: first, the Heluo Ritual Robe; second, the Fire-Warding Ritual Robe; third, the Soul-Protecting Ritual Robe; fourth, the True Essence Ritual Robe.

The Martial Bureau's assessment has the theme of 'capturing demonic cultivators.' Outside this area of abandoned workshop buildings, some 'sect demonic cultivators' played by soldiers will appear, launching surprise attacks from the outer perimeter to sabotage the area.

Ratings are based on the number of 'demonic cultivators' captured.

The temple's examination content was much the same as the martial artist's, except the target had become the vengeful spirits who had once burned to death in this factory building.

"The start and end times for the five professions are all different."

"The Weaver's examination starts earliest—she enters at the Hour of the Rabbit on the seventh to weave the dharma robe. It ends at the Hour of the Rabbit tomorrow, only twelve hours. The robe materials are prepared one day in advance; whether the finished product is completed or not, she must leave the venue."

"The Artificer's examination lasts two days, starting at the Hour of the Horse on the seventh and ending at the Hour of the Horse on the ninth."

"The Temple and Martial Artist start the latest, from the Hour of the Rooster on the evening of the seventh, ending at the Hour of the Chen on the tenth, lasting two and a half days."

"The Agronomist starts at the Hour of the Goat in the afternoon of the seventh, ending at the Hour of the Rabbit on the eleventh. Lasting three days and four nights."

Zhao Xing emerged from the carriage compartment, gazing at the entrance to the ruined factory building, lost in thought: "Old Chen believed my judgment, but not entirely—that's fine too."

At the Hour of the Goat, the Agronomist Bureau began organizing the participating clerks to enter the designated area.

Zhao Xing, carrying a bamboo-woven box considerably larger than last time, walked into the abandoned factory building.

This time there weren't many clerks participating from the Agronomist Bureau, because the Agronomist Bureau wasn't a lucrative post—unless one was aiming for a purchased official rank, no matter how well one performed, one wouldn't get much money at year's end.

The other bureaus were different; the number of participants was still quite large.

"Zhao Xing, let's go together." Zong Zong Shichang trotted over eagerly. "Which type are you planning to plant?"

"Do you trust my eye?" Zhao Xing pointed at a plot not far from the entrance. "Plant right here. I think this is good land."

"For real?" Zong Zong Shichang looked—it was just a patch of scorched earth.

"I've learned quite a few Dili Sect techniques, you don't believe me?"

"I believe you, but where are you going?" Zong Zong Shichang asked.

"Have you gone stupid from playing?" Zhao Xing said. "Such a small plot—could it possibly support two people planting?"

"Let's still go together, I think being alone is rather boring…"

"Get lost! Don't come affect my results." Zhao Xing said coldly. "Can't you understand human speech? I don't want to go with you."

"You…" Zong Zong Shichang was stunned. He couldn't understand why Zhao Xing's attitude had changed so drastically, and for a moment stood frozen in place.

Zhao Xing paid him no more attention and walked directly toward a certain area of the ruined factory building.

As the saying goes, if matters are not kept secret, one loses one's life. Zhao Xing knew some of Chen Shijie's plans, but not the full picture, and he certainly couldn't leak them to Zong Zong Shichang.

Besides, if demonic cultivators really made a move this time, Zong Zong Shichang following him would not be a good thing.

The abandoned factory building covered quite a large area—after all, it had originally been a project approved by Juncheng.

Zhao Xing, carrying the bamboo-woven box, made his way through, as if searching for something.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, he arrived before a relatively intact house—this had once been the workshop workers' living quarters.

"This is the place." Zhao Xing pushed the door open and went in.

"Meow~" The mountain cat, seeing its master arrive, immediately leaped over lightly.

"Shh~" Zhao Xing gestured for the mountain cat to be quiet. "Stay good and quiet, don't make a sound."

The little mountain cat nodded its head.

Zhao Xing then looked around the room.

This room had been prepared for him by Chen Shijie.

Besides the exotic beast mountain cat, quite a few things had been prepared inside. The room was piled with many dark-red bamboo tubes, roughly the thickness of a calf.

In the center of the room was a table, an oil lamp, a piece of paper, and a set of brush and ink.

On the long platform toward the front stood a wooden carving of Lord East Lake.

In the southeast corner also stood a straw figure wearing a straw cape and a conical hat—it was the guardian straw figure that had previously followed Zhao Xing out of the city.

"Not a single thing missing." Zhao Xing took stock, then took out the Warding Evil Almanac and hung it behind the door. He also tied the Thousand-Mile Transmission Token around his wrist.

He then sat at the table, picked up the paper and brush, and signed his name on the yellow paper.

This was a land deed.

From the moment his name was signed, Zhao Xing became the owner of this house.

He then took out the Sandalwood Soul Box from the bamboo-woven box, and began moving the dark-red bamboo tubes from the corner, burying them one by one around the fence outside the house.

After doing all this, Zhao Xing dusted off his hands and rested on the steps.

He was now no ordinary examinee. As one of those privy to Chen Shijie's plan, and also an important talent the Xuantian Sect wanted to capture, he naturally had special treatment.

After resting for a while, Zhao Xing began planting in the fenced courtyard.

Besides the ten types required by the examination, Zhao Xing had additionally brought three types of seeds in the bamboo-woven box.

"The examination task only requires planting ten types of herb seeds to fill this fenced courtyard."

"First plant the examination task plants."

Zhao Xing set down the bamboo-woven box and cast the Cloud-Summoning spell, causing clouds to cover the entire courtyard.

Then he summoned wind to plow the land.

"Whoosh~" Small tornadoes plowed furrow after furrow into the soil.

"Whoosh~" A gentle wind swept the grass seeds out of the bamboo-woven box, landing them precisely in the furrows.

"Splash~" Raindrops began to fall from the clouds.

"Grow Strong!"

"King Di Zang's Return to Origin!"

"Boundless Earth Palace!"

Zhao Xing cast spells rapidly.

He probed the earth veins, utilizing the courtyard area's earth veins to cast King Di Zang's Return to Origin and Boundless Earth Palace.

The first few spells went smoothly.

But when casting the Earth Palace technique, he ran into a problem.

"What's going on, why isn't it working?" Zhao Xing was startled. His 【Boundless Earth Palace】 was already at mid-grade eighth revolution. The earth veins here were weaker than elsewhere, but they still existed—by all reason, there was absolutely no possibility of failure.

"Try again." Zhao Xing took off his shoes, his feet pressing against the earth. As he cast the Boundless Earth Palace technique, his mind seemed to sink deep underground as well, beginning to explore the ley lines.

Very quickly, Zhao Xing detected a fluctuation in the ley lines — it was a dark-red ley line. Based on his sensing, Zhao Xing estimated it had reached the intensity of a third-grade fire vein.

This discovery caught Zhao Xing somewhat off guard.

"A third-grade ley line? Did I sense it wrong?"

"Impossible. This area was once burned by a vein fire, and even after Old Chen repaired it, logically it should only be at the level of a first-grade ley line."

"How is it that my sensing now shows third-grade? No — it might even be close to fourth-grade!"

Carrying his doubts, Zhao Xing continued casting. The Jin Guang carried his consciousness further downward.

But just then, a faint yet clear thought came from the ley line: "How is it you?"

"You… Old Chen?" The Jin Guang representing Zhao Xing rippled beside the underground ley line, clearly very surprised.

Chen Shijie paid no mind to Zhao Xing's form of address and asked with considerable surprise: "Didn't you say the Earth Palace technique you mastered was only at the third revolution? How can you detect me?"

Zhao Xing controlled the Jin Guang's ripples, transmitting information through the ley line: "I used up my painting attempts at the end of the month, and I've made some progress. You've been too busy — I didn't get a chance to tell you in detail."

Chen Shijie said: "How many revolutions now?"

"Eight revolutions."

"……"

Seeing Chen Shijie say nothing, Zhao Xing couldn't help but ask first: "What's going on with this ley line? Didn't you say this place was once burned by vein fire, the ley line hidden, only first-grade?"

"Once was once. Half a month ago, I cast a technique to strengthen the ley line here. After one month, it will return to its original intensity."

"Then why can't I cast the Earth Palace technique?"

"Look carefully further down."

Zhao Xing increased his Pang Yuan Qi output and sent another stream of Pang Yuan Qi downward, finally seeing clearly what was below.

Beneath the ley line, a dark-red palace flickered in and out of view. The palace's color was very close to that of the fire vein, and it was concealed by a force as hazy as cloud qi — without looking carefully, one simply couldn't see it.

When that hazy sensation parted a little, Zhao Xing immediately caught a glimpse of one corner of it.

"Hiss~"

A massive fire-red palace — just one piece of its tile was three or four meters long and wide.

Based on the scale of the palace's top level, Zhao Xing immediately judged that this fire-red Earth Palace could encompass the entire abandoned factory area.

"This is the Fire Prison Earth Palace technique!" Zhao Xing exclaimed in surprise. "Old Chen, did you do this?"

He even recognizes this? Chen Shijie was also taken aback, then said lightly: "That's right. You don't need to waste any extra effort casting the Earth Palace technique."

"Impressive." Zhao Xing inwardly shouted that it was badass.

But then again, when Bai Lu had her theory examination, he already knew Chen Shijie was a Si Nong of the Dili Sect.

Knowing the Earth Palace technique was perfectly normal.

Zhao Xing's Boundless Earth Palace was characterized by its vastness, but seeing this now, he knew that no matter how 'vast' his Boundless Earth Palace was, it couldn't compare to Chen Shijie's Fire Prison Earth Palace.

"I'm heading up first."

"Be careful on your own." Chen Shijie reminded him again. "If anything happens, Long Xiao and I may not be able to keep an eye on you."

"Understood." Zhao Xing would naturally keep a low profile and not cause Chen Shijie any trouble.

Evening, the fenced courtyard, covered in grass plants and vines, with bamboo gradually sprouting seedlings.

When night fell, Zhao Xing lit the candle on the table, keeping it burning through the night.

November 7th, nothing happened.

November 8th, mao hour, the clerks of the Weaving Office completed their examination.

After the rankings came out, the Weaver Women could give the dharma robes they had made to the other four professions.

Zhao Xing also encountered a Weaver Woman lightly knocking on his courtyard gate.

"Hello…"

"No, thanks." Zhao Xing waved his hand without even lifting his head.

Lin Baiwei, who had just obtained a top-grade mark, looked at Zhao Xing with his head down farming, and the words she wanted to say were immediately swallowed back. She silently hung the dharma robe on the fence and turned to leave.

After quite a while, Zhao Xing raised his head, noticed the thing on the fence, and was immediately baffled: "Did she weave her brain wrong? I already said no, so why is she still forcing it on me?"

He beckoned, ordered the straw figure to fetch it, and discovered the quality was actually quite good. A third-grade superior-quality True Essence Dharma Robe — wearing it could increase the speed of Pang Yuan Qi recovery.

In the Weaving Office examination, it could at least earn a top-grade mark, but in Zhao Xing's eyes, it was of no use whatsoever.

"Bizarre. I don't even know any Weaver Women… Is it because I'm handsome?"

Zhao Xing casually tossed the dharma robe aside and continued farming.

November 8th, during the day, battle cries rang out continuously. Zhao Xing stood on the courtyard wall and looked into the distance — it was personnel from the Martial Office fighting with soldiers playing the role of demon-men.

November 9th, the long-burning lamp at night began to sway. Personnel from the Temple began carrying lanterns to capture souls.

Zhao Xing scanned his surroundings with his Bright Eyes and discovered these ghosts all carried a tinge of fire-red, representing the manner of their deaths in life.

November 10th, chen hour, the examinations of the Martial Office and the Temple ended. The surroundings quieted down, with only the Si Nong profession's examination still continuing.

November 10th, evening, zi hour.

Having already confirmed his examination results could earn a top-grade mark, Zhao Xing was dozing with his eyes closed beside the table. The mountain cat, bored out of its mind, lay in front of its master, yawning.

Suddenly, the mountain cat gave a start! It arched its body sharply, green light flashing in its eyes, staring fixedly at the door.

"Whoosh~"

The long-burning lamp swayed violently, then suddenly went out, and the surroundings fell into silence.

It pawed at Zhao Xing, but the latter did not wake, as if already fast asleep.

"Crash~"

The mountain cat heard the noise and turned its head to look.

It saw the Evil-Warding Almanac automatically flip open a page, quickly coming to rest on:

【A vengeful spirit entering one's dreams — a great ill omen!】