The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

Zhao Xing looked at the rankings displayed on the mirror.

First place: Shi Yong, Hujiao army.

Second place: Zhuang Ziqing, Hujiao army.

Third place: Feng Qiu, Hujiao army.

Fourth place: Hua Zhilin, Xuanjia Army.

Fifth place: Guan Junyang, Xuanjia Army.

Ninth place: Meng Song, Lieyang Army.

Tenth place: Han Bing, Shenwei Army.

The top three positions were all taken by the Hujiao army, and of the top ten, five were from the Hujiao army. The other five consisted of two from the Xuanjia Army, two from the Lieyang Army, and one from the Shenwei Army.

Zhao Xing continued scanning until he found his name.

Twenty-ninth place: Zhao Xing, Shenwei Army.

"Twenty-ninth place?"

"Not bad."

Zhao Xing nodded slightly.

In this challenge, he faced a significant disadvantage compared to the others.

After all, he was a bureaucrat drafted through the official selection process and then directly assigned to the Shenwei Army.

Technically speaking, only his Yin Wind and Ice Rain techniques counted as military Shennong techniques. Techniques like Five Elements Earth Split and Boundless Earth Palace were also available to civil Shennong officers.

Other classics like the Seasonal Command Talisman, All Things Growth Diagram, Hou Earth Return, and Yin-Yang Self Scripture, he had yet to formally study.

Out of more than ten thousand participants, ranking twenty-ninth? It exceeded Zhao Xing's expectations.

"I was delayed a bit in the Ten Thousand Li Thunder Pool, and my speed on normal terrain isn't top-tier either."

Zhao Xing relied on cloud energy to enhance the speed of his Cloud-Stepping Boots, and his Wind Summoning was only at the basic level.

To truly be considered fast, you had to be able to ride the wind's energy or, like one person Zhao Xing saw, traverse through the earth veins.

"If it weren't for those shortcuts I took through Lava Plains and Ten Thousand Li Thunder Pool, even making it into the top one hundred would have been difficult. Still, being twenty-ninth earns me quite a few points," Zhao Xing thought as he followed the crowd ahead.

First place was awarded ten thousand points.

Second place: eight thousand points.

Third place: six thousand points.

Places four to ten: four thousand points each.

Places eleven to twenty: two thousand points each.

Places twenty-one to fifty: one thousand points each.

Places fifty-one to one hundred: five hundred points each.

There were no points awarded beyond the top one hundred.

Apart from the top ten, where there were multiple tiers of rewards, for the remaining rankings, the difference in rewards for places separated by ten to twenty spots was the same.

The assessment wasn't solely based on strength. Some participants might not excel at traveling but were very strong in combat; others specialized in plant cultivation, while some excelled at supporting military units... The strength of a military Shennong was determined by multiple factors.

The difference between those ranked apart by ten or twenty spots didn't necessarily indicate a major gap in strength. Additionally, one's entry point was somewhat influenced by luck.

For example, Zhao Xing was fortunate to have entered through the lake's entrance, which was relatively close to the Lava Plains.

Of course, being in the top ten was a different story.

As Zhao Xing walked, a paper crane landed on his shoulder.

"New recruits, turn right ahead and proceed to the Pinghuai Hall to receive your personal seals."

This was a Paper Crane Folding technique, part of the Thousand Leaves Paper Crane spell.

Zhao Xing was familiar with this technique. It was part of the Soldier of Grass and Wood Technique, a broad category of techniques.

Officials could use Homeland Letters to send messages, military Shennong officers could fold paper cranes, religious clerks could ask spirit gods to send communications, and engineers could use Earth Mirrors or Sky Connect Instruments.

Even martial artists had secret methods of transmitting information, though their range was much shorter and not as convenient as the other professions.

As the twenty-ninth person to arrive, there weren't many people around yet.

Following the paper crane's guidance, Zhao Xing navigated through the Shennong Monitor's area.

"The Shennong Monitor established within the military boundary is similar to the one outside."

"But there are differences as well. The size and scale of the structures here are much larger."

"The setup here is grand, built entirely according to the standards of a provincial-level Shennong Monitor."

The Shennong Monitor in Gucheng was only county-level, so many structures were missing, such as the Military Treasury, Marching Hall, and Heavenly Time Hall.

"Name?"

"Zhao Xing."

"Which army are you from?"

"Shenwei Army."

"Please wait a moment."

A bald-headed engineer quickly entered the inner hall and returned shortly after.

"It's done. Here is your personal seal and Earth Mirror."

The bald engineer explained, "The seal is your identification proof, and the Earth Mirror is a sub-mirror, a treasure for storing information. While inside the Ten Sun Cave, you can connect it to the main mirror. Once you leave, it will only store previously saved information and cannot update in real-time."

"Thank you. When does the training begin?"

The bald engineer shook his head. "Don't ask me. I'm just an engineer. You should ask the paper crane."

The paper crane on Zhao Xing's shoulder responded, "The division into branches will occur in a month. The four main branches are Heavenly Time, Earth Resources, Taicang, and Pinghuai. Only outstanding recruits can enter these. The other branches, Four Seasons Academy and Phenology Academy, can be chosen freely. There are also numerous private institutes, but entry depends on their leaders' requirements."

"There will be mandatory and optional training. The mandatory training mainly involves accompanying the army, and no one can miss this."

"Optional training offers numerous projects, but within a year, you must pass twelve evaluations. Failing even one will result in dismissal from the reserves and being sent back home."

"If you pass both mandatory and optional training, you'll be officially assigned to a military post."

Zhao Xing nodded. The mandatory training focused on supporting military operations, which was non-negotiable, as Shennong officers were meant to serve the army.

Optional training allowed participants to choose their specialization. Military Shennong officers covered a wide range of positions, from those managing fields like the Field Overseer Commanders, to those specializing in combat like the Nine-Segment Shennong Officers, and others like Pinghuai Commanders, who managed water territories.

There were many paths to choose from.

"Where do I stay?" Zhao Xing asked after parting with the bald-headed engineer.

"You ranked twenty-ninth, so you've earned a private residence."

"Turn left and head straight toward the residential area. You can choose any unoccupied residence."

"Once you've selected one, use the Earth Mirror to register yourself, and you'll become the owner of the residence."

"The Earth Mirror can also be used to view items in the Military Treasury and track your points."

"What if I run out of points?"

The paper crane replied, "You can visit the Exploration Hall to receive tasks. There are tasks ranging from exploring, modifying, and excavating treasures from the cave, with various levels available. Based on your Earth Mirror rank, you can accept tasks up to fourth level and below."

Zhao Xing was already familiar with these procedures, but asking was necessary to appear like a normal newcomer. After all, you never knew if some powerful figure was watching through the paper crane. Better to play it safe.

"Turn left, then go straight."

"Present your seal to pass."

"Turn right."

"All clear. You may now use spells to fly."

With the paper crane's guidance, Zhao Xing stepped onto his cloud and flew for about two quarters of an hour before arriving at the residential area.

The residential area included various terrains: mountains, lakes, wastelands, grasslands, and even desert oases.

Moreover, the weather changed every few paces.

Zhao Xing traveled along the main path and passed through a manor two kilometers long, where it was snowing heavily.

But after crossing the snow-covered estate, the next one was experiencing scorching summer heat.

After flying and walking for a while, Zhao Xing encountered several different environments and seasons.

Even though this wasn't his first time seeing such sights, he still marveled at how amazing it all was.

"This place will do."

After some searching, Zhao Xing chose a large courtyard with willows planted throughout.

"Register using the Earth Mirror. The courtyard requires a name. Any further questions?"

"No."

With a puff, the paper crane ignited and burned to ash.

"This paper was made from ground Fragrant Bamboo leaves," Zhao Xing muttered as he smelled the air, then proceeded to register the courtyard using the Earth Mirror.

Willow Courtyard

Duplicate name. Please rename.

Locust Willow Courtyard

Duplicate name. Please rename.

Two Locust Willow Courtyard

Duplicate name. Please rename.

"…," Zhao Xing was speechless. Why was naming a place so hard?

Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard

Name successfully registered. You are now the owner of 'Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard.' Unauthorized individuals cannot enter without your permission.

The courtyard's coordinates and boundaries are fixed and cannot be altered by spells. It can withstand the power of a high-level seventh-transformation spell.

Welcome to your new residence.

Zhao Xing pushed open the gate and entered.

After settling in, he immediately began exploring the information stored in his Earth Mirror.

Half an hour after Zhao Xing completed his registration and settled in, Li Feng finally arrived at the Shennong Monitor.

Seeing the crowd gathered at the square, his heart sank.

"With so many people here already, I'm probably over the one hundredth mark."

Li Feng landed on the square and quickly checked the mirror.

When he found his name, he froze.

"One hundred forty-third?"

Then he glanced at the rankings of the other Hujiao army members he recognized, and his face turned dark.

"Zhuang Ziqing, Shi Yong, and Feng Qiu took the top three spots? The two who are about my level are in the top ten or twenty."

Li Feng was so frustrated that he felt like spitting blood.

In the internal Hujiao army selection, he had ranked sixth!

By all accounts, he should have placed in the top ten.

But now, he was over one hundred places down.

Being ranked in the hundreds was still an excellent achievement, considering over ten thousand people were competing.

But Li Feng couldn't help feeling aggrieved.

"I ranked sixth internally, but now I'm in the hundreds all because of that cunning guy."

He couldn't get the image of Zhao Xing's face out of his head, especially when Zhao Xing had shouted, "Li Feng, don't push me too far!"

The mere thought of it infuriated him.

"Just wait until I find you!" Li Feng fumed. But with over ten thousand people participating, the odds of encountering Zhao Xing weren't high. For now, he had to swallow his anger and proceed with his registration.

"Rumble~"

Zhuo Li emerged from the ground and leapt onto the square.

Brushing the dust from his clothes, he turned to check the Earth Mirror.

"What's my rank?"

235th, Zhuo Li, Lieyang Army.

"Two hundred and thirty-fifth?"

Zhuo Li sighed.

He had expected to place in the top fifty, even if not the top ten.

But he hadn't even made it into the top one hundred, landing in the two hundreds instead.

The difference in time between him and the one-hundredth-ranked individual wasn't great. It was simply that many people had arrived simultaneously.

A difference of even one second could mean a shift of dozens of places.

"I wasted too much time in the Lava Plains. The fifth-level eruption and the three isolation zones delayed me for too long," Zhuo Li thought, feeling frustrated.

It wasn't the lack of points that bothered him, but the thought of disappointing Helian Lie.

Now, he hadn't even made it into the top one hundred.

"Just wait until I find out who caused all this trouble..." Zhuo Li muttered, shaking his sleeves as he walked inside.

Taicang Academy

Beside the Earth Mirror.

Zuo Zizhi and Lu Bang were watching the names on the leaderboard update continuously.

In the blink of an eye, over a thousand names had already appeared.

"Zhuang Ziqing." Zuo Zizhi nodded as he saw the second-place name. "Not bad, not bad. He was even able to travel underground in the Thunder Pool."

"The Earth Dragon Tunneling technique he used has already reached perfection," Lu Bang agreed, nodding in approval.

The Earth Element Arts were known to be the most difficult branch of the Earth School to master.

Other earth spells didn't necessarily require people to go underground.

But for most Earth Element Arts, one had to personally enter the earth's depths to sense the earth veins. Even the slightest misstep could result in injury from the earth's pulse.

"I remember he's the direct grandson of Marquis Meng, isn't he?" Lu Bang asked.

"Yes," Zuo Zizhi replied. "He's the Marquis' ninth and youngest grandson."

"No wonder he looked familiar."

Lu Bang continued browsing through the leaderboard.

He and Zuo Zizhi chatted casually as they recognized the names on the list. They had heard of most of these individuals, except for the tenth-ranked Han Bing from the Shenwei Army, who was unfamiliar to them. The rest were either from noble families or had gained some fame during the internal selections.

"Hmm? Why is Zhao Xing ranked only twenty-ninth?" Lu Bang was somewhat disappointed at seeing Zhao Xing's ranking. But then it dawned on him.

"Ah, right. He was a bureaucrat selected for office, and after his appointment, he was directly assigned to the Shenwei Army."

"He probably hasn't even learned many military Shennong techniques yet, let alone the Seasonal Command Talisman."

Thinking about it that way, Lu Bang found Zhao Xing's achievement even more impressive.

"Hahaha, Brother Lu, look! Li Feng is ranked over one hundred!" Zuo Zizhi pointed at the mirror and chuckled.

"Hahaha." Lu Bang laughed as well.

The Hujiao army's sixth-ranked Li Feng had only just arrived?

"He didn't even make the top one hundred. Li Feng must be fuming right now," Zuo Zizhi laughed. "He was expecting to get a few thousand points, and now he's walking away empty-handed."

"A good lesson for him," Lu Bang smiled. "In that situation, he should have acted earlier. Did he really think that just because he won a few matches outside the cave, everyone would fear him?"

"A lion uses its full strength, even against a rabbit. He let his guard down, so he can't blame anyone but himself."

"Look at Zhao Xing. His approach was completely different." Lu Bang pointed to Zhao Xing's name again. "Starting from the Lava Plains, he used the environment to create major obstacles for the others, preventing many from competing with him."

"Before entering the Ten Thousand Li Thunder Pool, when he encountered fifteen people trying to cross together, he was the first to act, creating an advantageous situation for himself."

"I'm more interested in this kid than Li Feng."

Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard

After familiarizing himself with his new residence, Zhao Xing immediately began reviewing the information stored in his Earth Mirror.

"Eleven hundred points have been credited, but that's not enough to buy much," Zhao Xing thought.

The thousand points were from the ranking reward.

As long as you ranked and completed registration, you were immediately awarded your points.

The other one hundred points were the initial points everyone received. These were distributed monthly.

Training covered food and accommodation, but extra pills or treasures had to be purchased with points.

"With one hundred points, I could buy some second-level pills for restoring essence, but they won't be of much use."

"However, I don't have many immediate uses for points this month."

"Studying techniques and comprehending the Seasonal Diagrams is free."

For the next month, Zhao Xing planned to expand his repertoire of techniques.

After all, he still didn't know enough spells.

Most importantly, he hadn't yet begun studying the foundational scriptures of the Heavenly Time, Earth Resources, or Yin-Yang disciplines.

"This month will be devoted to studying the classic scriptures."

"The four main branches—Taicang, Pinghuai, Heavenly Time, and Earth Resources—are the best."

"I must make it into one of the top four branches during the selection."

Training for the reserves was tiered. If geniuses and average talents were trained together, the differences in progress would be too vast. Either the weaker ones wouldn't understand or keep up, or the geniuses would have their time wasted.

Thus, the training was separated accordingly.

"The instructors in the four main branches are at a higher level, and each branch has its unique resources."

"For example, Taicang Academy offers many resources at a lower cost. Most of the rare crops collected from within the Ten Sun Cave are grown there, and certain resources are scarce, with only a limited amount available each year."

Limited resources are reserved for the most talented students.

"In Tian Shi Academy, there are one hundred and eight stone monuments derived from the Seasonal Diagrams. Their effects are even stronger than the Path Paintings."

"However, the number of participants who can comprehend the stone monuments is limited."

"Pinghuai Academy and Di Li Academy also have their own benefits."

"The division into branches will involve a strict assessment, far more rigorous than this current selection. My current rank of twenty-ninth owes somewhat to luck and foresight; my true strength might not even place me in the top one hundred."

"This next month is critical. I need to address my weaknesses quickly."

Taking a deep breath, Zhao Xing began planning how to spend the upcoming month.