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Chapter 254: Comprehending the Supreme Earth Palace Technique and Recruitment by Kunyuan Academy
🕑 Added 2024-11-26 04:20:05 +0000 UTC"Crash~"
Zhao Xing kicked over a chest filled with Essence Crystals. He then distributed them among his thirty Myriad Law Manifestations to absorb the energy.
Maintaining the Manifestations required significant Essence Qi. Although eliminating Li Tao and his twelve beasts hadn’t drained his main body, the Essence Qi within the Myriad Law Manifestations had visibly diminished after the battle.
Now, with sufficient resources at hand, Zhao Xing made sure to restore all his Manifestations to their peak state.
During this process, the feeling of being observed persisted. It lingered for a full quarter-hour before suddenly vanishing.
“The sensation of being watched is gone,” Zhao Xing remarked as he glanced at the sky, deep in thought. “It seems my show of strength worked.”
But Zhao Xing had misjudged the situation. The one observing him, Ming Dan, wasn’t a competitor but a judge.
In truth, Ming Dan had been astounded by Zhao Xing’s display.
“Thirty Manifestations, all at the late stage of the Fifth Rank, each capable of casting advanced techniques—and not just one type! This level of complexity... there’s no way he’s a Beast Tamer.”
He scoffed at the thought. “A Beast Tamer this strong wouldn’t need to tame beasts.”
Beast Tamers generally chose their path because they lacked talent in other cultivation areas.
“Spirit Pearl, cross-check the Earth Mirror’s database. Confirm the techniques he used, and determine the profession that allows for such Manifestations,” Ming Dan instructed.
The puppet assistant swiftly replied: “Upon comparison with the database, Zhao Xing, the Justice Officer of the Twin Island Dragon Horse Directorate, is registered as a Beast Tamer. However, he is actually a Shennong Officer.”
“The techniques he used earlier include Phenological Law, an advanced Shennong-exclusive technique associated with the Seasonal Qi Commands.”
Techniques varied greatly depending on the cultivation manual studied, and the higher one’s cultivation level, the more pronounced the differences became.
The Shennong differed from elemental practitioners, like those specializing in Wind or Thunder, by cultivating three unique secret manuals. The Phenological Law was one of these secrets and exclusive to the Shennong.
Recognizing this, the puppet assistant identified Zhao Xing as a Shennong Officer.
“A Shennong Officer?” Ming Dan’s brows furrowed. “And those Manifestations? Could they be Straw Puppet Techniques?”
He shook his head. “No, Straw Puppet Techniques aren’t that powerful.”
Ming Dan had encountered Shennong cultivators who practiced Straw Puppet Techniques before, but such techniques were of intermediate strength at best. Moreover, Straw Puppets lacked the essential “Soul Power” that gave these Manifestations their vivid aura of life.
What Ming Dan sensed in Zhao Xing’s Manifestations was unmistakable: the presence of a “Soul.”
From his extensive experience, the only creations that exhibited such vibrancy were War Puppets imbued with Battle Souls. Other techniques, like Talisman Avatars or Five Elements Illusory Forms, lacked this level of realism and functionality.
Moreover, Zhao Xing’s Manifestations were actively absorbing Essence Crystals—something unheard of!
“According to the Earth Mirror database,” the puppet assistant continued, “these are Myriad Law Straw Puppets, or Myriad Law Manifestations. They represent the pinnacle of the Self Sect’s Shennong techniques and have variants such as Hundred Manifestations, Thousand Manifestations, and Ten Thousand Manifestations.”
Hearing this, Ming Dan’s expression grew more serious. Although he had attained the Fourth Rank and witnessed countless techniques, he had never seen a Shennong Officer who practiced Myriad Law Manifestations.
In fact, he hadn’t even heard of such a phenomenon before.
Straw Puppet Techniques were far from mainstream within the Shennong repertoire. Notably, Liu Tianning’s achievements in popularizing the Seasonal Qi Commands had only just begun to gain recognition within upper-level circles. It was only after Liu Tianning ascended to the position of Grand Shennong that Straw Puppet Techniques became widely known.
“This is astonishing,” Ming Dan muttered. “Thirty years on this island, and I had no idea the Shennong had become this powerful.”
A moment later, Ming Dan remembered his purpose: to determine whether Zhao Xing’s use of Myriad Law Manifestations violated the competition’s rules.
The question was perplexing. Did a Self Sect Shennong Officer who had mastered Myriad Law Manifestations qualify to participate in the Myriad Beasts Competition?
Neither he nor his puppet assistant could provide a definitive answer. Historical records in the Earth Mirror offered no precedents for this scenario.
Unable to decide, Ming Dan forwarded the matter. He recorded the combat footage and the puppet assistant’s analysis, submitting them to Inspector Lin Zhengfeng for a ruling.
Lin Zhengfeng, a Third Rank martial artist, reviewed the submitted report and combat footage. Although he had heard of Myriad Law Manifestations before, his knowledge of them was superficial. The situation left him hesitant, so he escalated the matter to General Hong Yuanba.
“General, the guardian of the Blue Pearl Lake in the Grand Arena has reported an unusual case.”
“I can’t determine whether this is a rule violation. Please provide your judgment.”
General Hong Yuanba, a Second Rank Eastern Sea Commander, opened his eyes and quickly examined the report. The surveillance footage played before him.
“It concerns a Shennong Officer? Forward this to the Deputy Shennong Division for evaluation,” Hong Yuanba ordered.
“Yes, General.”
Outside the Azure Sea Cave-Heaven, amidst violent wind layers, two large airships floated steadily at an altitude of 10,000 meters. One was the Wind Breath Cloud Ship, carrying nine Third Rank Heavenly Time Shennong cultivators. The other was the Genchuan Fubo Ship, with fifteen Third Rank Earthly Advantage Shennong cultivators aboard.
These elite Shennong were responsible for maintaining and modifying the environment in various checkpoints of the Azure Sea Cave-Heaven. For example, the Earthly Advantage Shennong combined efforts to cast the Essence-Draining Earth Palace over the Supply Palace checkpoint, affecting the entire region. Meanwhile, the Heavenly Time Shennong used Seasonal Qi Commands to shrink the encircling toxic fog.
As for the Self Sect Shennong? They primarily provided logistical support, such as food and resources, from the rear.
At this moment, the Heavenly Time Shennong leader, Wang Tianzhi, was not aboard the Wind Breath Cloud Ship. He had accepted Princess Youruo’s invitation to attend a banquet aboard the Golden Dragon Warship with his colleagues Ji Shuchang and Bai Yunwu.
General Hong Yuanba, meanwhile, remained stationed to maintain order and prevent external forces from disrupting the event. Given the significance of the competition, the stakes were too high to risk interference. Past disruptions in the Eastern Sea had been managed swiftly, but Hong Yuanba couldn’t afford a repeat during this high-profile event.
Onboard the Wind Breath Cloud Ship, three junior officials were present to handle routine tasks. The report concerning Zhao Xing’s Myriad Law Manifestations landed before them.
“A Self Sect Shennong Officer who mastered Myriad Law Manifestations participating in the Myriad Beasts Competition—does that count as a violation?” Geng Shouchang, one of the officials, asked, examining the report with great interest.
“Participation itself isn’t a violation, but using Myriad Law Manifestations? That’s questionable,” remarked Simayi Yunhai, a veteran Shennong cultivator with a graying beard. “Those Manifestations are practically equivalent to divine weapons. Zhao Xing should be disqualified immediately.”
“Yunhai, that’s too harsh,” Hengyuan countered. “The Myriad Law Manifestations are derived from Shennong techniques. They’re not weapons, and the rules don’t explicitly prohibit them.”
“But they’re not explicitly allowed either!” Yunhai shot back heatedly. “What’s more, the Manifestations operate on principles of Soul Binding and Devouring—practices that border on dark arts. This demands a thorough investigation!”
Hengyuan fell silent, knowing any argument with Yunhai was futile. Years ago, Yunhai had developed a personal grudge against Myriad Law Manifestations due to an incident involving his junior, Pang Xianyun. Pang had once dueled Liu Tianning, a renowned Self Sect Shennong cultivator, in Daoyuan Continent’s Dao Field. Liu’s victory led Pang to abandon his Heavenly Time Shennong roots, join the Self Sect, and even change his name to Pang Yuanren.
This betrayal deeply wounded Yunhai, leaving him with a bitter resentment toward Myriad Law Manifestations, which he considered a perversion of Shennong principles.
“This is clearly a dark art,” Yunhai grumbled under his breath.
Geng Shouchang, observing Yunhai’s outburst, interjected, “Let’s not jump to conclusions. This matter should be decided by the higher-ups.”
The case eventually reached Wang Tianzhi, who reviewed the report and responded with a measured verdict: “This does not constitute a violation, at least not in this competition.”
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing remained unaware of the discussions surrounding him. He focused on his current goal: mastering the Essence-Draining Earth Palace technique. Having successfully acquired significant resources, Zhao Xing was now in a secure position to devote himself to study. His Earth Mirror reflected his progress:
[Name: Zhao Xing]
[Stage: Grand Arena (Day One)]
[Points: 78,000]
[Rank: 23,818]
“Seventy-eight thousand points? It seems my opponents haven’t encountered others yet.”
The competition had only just begun, and most participants were busy gathering supplies to ensure their survival. For now, conflicts were rare, and direct confrontations wouldn’t become widespread until the second month. Zhao Xing surmised, “The real competition will only intensify after the first month.”
"Half a day. I’ve already swept through forty-one of the forty-six supply points around the Blue Pearl Lake.”
“Among those, five were empty. Someone must have cleared them out before me.”
“With the resources from forty-one supply points, I can sustain myself and my battle beasts for four to five months if no major battles occur. If I do engage in combat, it’s hard to say, but I should have enough to last through a few significant encounters.”
Zhao Xing leaped onto the palace roof, his sharp eyes surveying the distant landscape.
“The toxic fog spans ten thousand meters, but its shrinking speed is still relatively slow. There’s no need to rush toward the center.”
He reasoned that as the competition progressed, the points awarded for eliminating competitors would only increase.
“With resources secured and no immediate need for action, I’ll focus on studying the supreme technique, Essence-Draining Earth Palace.”
Accompanied by his battle beasts—Long Aotian, Xiaotian, and Huantian—Zhao Xing left the supply palace and ventured into a nearby valley.
“A supreme technique, even if I only grasp the basics, offers immense benefits. If I can reduce the absorption speed of the Essence-Draining Earth Palace, it would provide me a significant advantage.”
Upon reaching the valley, Zhao Xing gave instructions to his companions.
“Aotian, Xiaotian, Huantian, you’ll take turns keeping watch.”
After securing the area, Zhao Xing recalled his Myriad Law Manifestations. Since his focus was on studying the Earth Palace techniques, the Manifestations would serve little purpose. Instead, having his battle beasts guard the area was far more effective.
“Xiaotian, if anyone gets hungry, distribute the food. Otherwise, don’t disturb me.”
He took out several supply chests. Xiaotian barked in response, spitting out a flame to neatly arrange the chests.
“Ration it carefully. Understood?”
Xiaotian sniffed and wagged his tail in acknowledgment.
"Leave it to me, Master. You can focus without worry!"
With that, Zhao Xing activated Divine Travel Guard and sank into the ground. The moment he cast the spell and entered the earth, he felt the extraordinary nature of the Essence-Draining Earth Palace.
“A supreme technique is truly remarkable. Within the range of the Essence-Draining Earth Palace, my Mysterious Earth Guard and Earth Palace Techniques remain completely unaffected.”
Divine Travel Guard, created by blending the profound elements of the Mysterious Earth Guard and the Earth Palace Techniques, was a high-level technique unique to Zhao Xing. It combined the mobility of Divine Travel and the protection of Mysterious Earth into one.
Typically, once an Earth Palace was established in a location, the earth veins in that area would become its foundation, making it impossible to establish another palace simultaneously. For instance, if Zhao Xing created a Boundless Earth Palace, any attempt by Chen Shijie to establish a Fire Prison Earth Palace in the same area would result in one of two outcomes: either the Boundless Earth Palace would collapse, or the Fire Prison Earth Palace would fail.
While certain techniques like the Mysterious Earth Guard could coexist, the compatibility of two Earth Palaces was generally rare unless there was a significant difference in their ranks. For instance, a mid-tier Ice Palace could overlay a Boundless Earth Palace, but the power of both would be diminished.
However, in Zhao Xing’s current case, the Essence-Draining Earth Palace showcased unique properties. Neither its functions nor Zhao Xing’s techniques conflicted.
“Coexistence and integration... This truly deserves its title as a supreme Earth Palace technique,” Zhao Xing thought, deeply impressed. “No matter how high I fly or how deep I burrow, the absorption efficiency of this palace remains constant.”
Thanks to his Pure Essence Space, Zhao Xing could sustain himself longer than most Fourth Rank cultivators, holding out for six full days under normal circumstances. However, within the range of the Essence-Draining Earth Palace, his Essence Qi depletion was consistent and unrelenting. The fixed rate of depletion, unaffected by distance, made the technique particularly fearsome.
“The dynamic nature of the earth veins makes the palace perpetually elusive. Unless I also master a supreme Earth Palace technique, destroying this palace is nearly impossible.”
Zhao Xing stopped his descent and began observing the vast palace below. Its structure resembled a rectangular box, but the numerous corridors within created a maze-like complexity. At times, parts of the palace appeared translucent, only to glow with a dazzling rainbow hue moments later.
The sheer perfection of the Earth Palace left Zhao Xing awestruck.
“Supreme techniques like this are incredibly rare. The avenues to learn them have become highly restricted, with numerous barriers in place. After all, supreme techniques are considered national secrets, guarded fiercely to prevent espionage.”
Zhao Xing understood that learning such a technique required more than wealth. One needed official ties to specific institutions or governmental bodies.
“However, with my mastery of three great secrets and my understanding of the Dao, I’ve reached the threshold for studying supreme techniques. This flawless Earth Palace is an unparalleled masterpiece.”
Completely absorbed, Zhao Xing marveled at the ingenious utilization of the earth veins.
In a bold experiment, he deactivated his Essence Gathering Seal, allowing the Essence-Draining Earth Palace to siphon his Essence Qi freely. Originally, his reserves could sustain him for six days, but now, they would only last three. This loss, though significant, gave him deeper insights into the palace’s workings.
Immersed in the profound comprehension of the supreme technique, Zhao Xing completely lost track of time. The intricate structure of the Essence-Draining Earth Palace and its perfect synergy with the earth veins captivated him, filling him with awe.
When hunger and fatigue crept in, Zhao Xing withdrew into a concealed cavern he had formed underground, projecting a Pure Essence Space to replenish his energy and resources. The ability to sustain himself in such extreme conditions gave him a sense of security as he delved further into his studies.
Time flowed unnoticed until a sudden bark jolted Zhao Xing out of his meditation.
“Woof!”
It wasn’t Xiaotian’s bark, but Aotian’s—his mischievous Mountain Cat mimicking a dog again.
“Aotian, why are you barking like a dog?” Zhao Xing asked, a hint of exasperation in his tone.
“Meow!” Aotian responded indignantly.
“Hunger? I left you all with enough supplies to last six days,” Zhao Xing muttered.
“Meow!” Aotian’s reply was sharp and accusatory.
“What? It’s the seventh day already?” Zhao Xing blinked, realizing his error. “My bad.”
Immediately, Zhao Xing cast his technique to surface. As he emerged, Xiaotian was still standing guard atop a hill, alert as ever. Aotian and Huantian, however, lay listless near the now-empty supply crates.
“Alright, time to eat. Xiaotian, come join them.”
At the promise of food, Aotian and Huantian perked up instantly, tails wagging energetically. Xiaotian descended from his post with composed elegance, maintaining an air of pride.
Zhao Xing projected a Pure Essence Space, summoning three fresh supply chests. “Dig in.”
Without hesitation, Aotian swiped a paw to unlock the chests, and the three beasts eagerly began feasting. Zhao Xing, still not hungry himself, decided to use the time to check his Earth Mirror.
The first thing he noticed was the shrinking toxic fog—a Toxic Miasma Technique deployed by the Heavenly Time Shennong. The fog had already swallowed seven supply palaces near Blue Pearl Lake, leaving only a three-kilometer gap between it and Zhao Xing’s position. With its accelerated advance, the fog would consume his current location within a day.
Shifting his focus, Zhao Xing examined his points and rank. His score now stood at 148,000, but his rank had dropped from 23,000 to 33,000—a loss of 10,000 places. This discrepancy in the points caught his attention.
“By my calculations, I should have 138,000 points: 60,000 from survival and 78,000 from eliminating others. So, why do I have 148,000?”
Scanning his notifications, Zhao Xing found the explanation in a message from two days prior:
[Notification: Beast Tamer Liu Zhong, unable to secure supplies and on the verge of death, triggered the Azure Sea Command’s protection mechanism and was eliminated.]
[Liu Zhong and his battle beasts’ elimination generated points, distributed evenly among participants in his region.]
[You have received 10,000 points.]
“So that’s it.” Zhao Xing finally understood.
The Azure Sea Command, a safeguard for competitors, prevented voluntary withdrawal from the arena. Those nearing death due to starvation or Essence Qi depletion triggered this mechanism, ensuring their elimination without direct combat. Such eliminations still yielded points, which were redistributed among other participants in the affected area.
“That Liu Zhong was really unlucky,” Zhao Xing mused. “Running out of supplies and Essence Qi must have been excruciating.”
Closing his Earth Mirror, Zhao Xing glanced at the advancing fog, then back at the Essence-Draining Earth Palace beneath him.
“In an environment like this, poor luck can render even the strongest cultivators powerless. Without supplies, Essence Qi depletion cuts combat power drastically.”
Essence Qi depletion was a death sentence for any cultivator. At fifty percent depletion, the effectiveness of techniques and martial arts was significantly reduced. At thirty percent, power dropped to less than half its original strength. By twenty percent, the cultivator entered a severely weakened state, and below ten percent, survival was at risk.
“The Shennong designed this environment with such precision. Not only does it prevent Essence Qi absorption, but it actively drains it.”
“And that’s with the Earth Palace’s power restrained. If it were operating at full strength, it would be a catastrophic natural disaster. Only cultivators of the highest rank could hope to survive.”
Zhao Xing’s resolve to master a supreme technique grew stronger. He knew that before King Liang’s rebellion erupted, he needed to secure at least one supreme technique. The impending chaos in Pinghai Prefecture and the Eastern Sea would inevitably bring widespread calamities.
“Even though order was eventually restored, the suffering during those years was unimaginable for ordinary people.”
Reflecting on the imminent dangers, Zhao Xing turned his focus back to studying the Essence-Draining Earth Palace. He aimed to adapt its principles to enhance his own Boundless Earth Palace, even though he knew fully replicating the supreme technique was impossible.
Supreme techniques were the pinnacle of cultivation arts, safeguarded as state secrets, and required profound understanding and resources to master. However, Zhao Xing believed that even partial insights could significantly strengthen his current techniques.
He gave his three battle beasts—Aotian, Xiaotian, and Huantian—time to rest after their meal. Meanwhile, he delved underground once more, immersed in his observations of the Earth Palace.
Days turned into weeks as Zhao Xing continued his work. By the twenty-seventh day of the competition, the toxic fog had spread to the edges of the rocky mountains where Zhao Xing had temporarily settled. Its corrosive effects were evident—the ground it touched crumbled into fine sand, and its advance grew faster by the day.
Xiaotian, ever vigilant, sensed the danger first and let out a long howl to alert Zhao Xing.
“Woof!”
The toxic fog had encroached within ten meters of their position. If they didn’t move soon, they would be engulfed. Zhao Xing emerged from the ground, his battle beasts immediately ready to follow his lead.
“Let’s move east!” Zhao Xing commanded. Together, he and his companions leaped into action, flying swiftly away from the collapsing cave.
The shrinking toxic fog was now laced with a faint purple hue, a clear sign of its increasing potency.
“This is the Toxic Miasma Technique, a supreme-level application of elemental manipulation. If I were to enter it, I doubt I could last even a minute.”
The disparity between high-level techniques and supreme techniques was enormous. In terms of destructive power, even a perfected high-level technique was negligible compared to a supreme technique, which could wreak devastation on an entirely different scale.
“I should avoid direct contact for now,” Zhao Xing decided, though he couldn’t help but feel curious about the supreme technique’s full potential. He knew that lingering too close to such danger was unwise.
As they moved, Zhao Xing noticed other competitors also fleeing from the toxic fog. The competition was entering a critical phase. Survivors were fewer, and points gained from eliminations had risen dramatically. Zhao Xing observed several figures ahead—two Beast Tamers with eight battle beasts between them.
“It’s time to start earning points,” Zhao Xing muttered.
He turned to his companions. “Aotian, Xiaotian, Huantian, take them down!”
The three battle beasts sprang into action, racing toward the two Beast Tamers and their battle beasts. Zhao Xing activated his Devouring Cloud Domain, which expanded rapidly and enveloped his opponents. At the same time, he raised his Azure Sea Command token, signaling the start of combat. The token vibrated in response, syncing with the tokens of the two opposing Beast Tamers.
Once in combat mode, any eliminations—whether caused by attacks or environmental hazards like the toxic fog—would be credited to Zhao Xing.
“Someone’s coming after us!” one of the Beast Tamers shouted.
“Is he insane? Three battle beasts, and they’re only Fifth Rank?” his companion scoffed. “Does he think he can take on Fourth Rank cultivators like us?”
Confident in their strength, the two Beast Tamers decided to stand their ground. However, their confidence quickly turned to panic as Zhao Xing summoned fifty Myriad Law Manifestations, creating an overwhelming force.
On top of that, he cast a Pure Essence Projection, summoning a hundred lightning bamboo plants that erupted from the ground.
In moments, the battlefield turned chaotic. Zhao Xing’s Manifestations and techniques surrounded one of the Beast Tamers, cutting off all escape routes.
“What is this madness?!” the first Beast Tamer yelled. “This is... Pure Essence Projection! We’re up against a Self Sect Shennong!”
Before he could finish his sentence, a torrent of lightning engulfed him, turning him into a streak of blue light as he was eliminated from the competition.
The second Beast Tamer, despite commanding two Fourth Rank beasts, was quickly overwhelmed by Aotian, Xiaotian, and Huantian. The Mountain Cat alone was capable of defeating beasts of superior bloodlines, and with support from the others, the second Beast Tamer stood no chance.
The battle ended swiftly. Zhao Xing collected the spoils left behind—supplies, Essence Crystals, and items of value. He ordered his beasts to carry the remaining loot and stored the rest in his Pure Essence Space.
The Earth Mirror lit up with a notification:
[You have eliminated Beast Tamers Qu Feng and Gao Lan, along with their battle beasts. Total points earned: 49,000.]
Zhao Xing glanced at his updated rank:
[Name: Zhao Xing]
[Stage: Grand Arena (Day 28)]
[Points: 412,000]
[Rank: 25,180]
“Points for eliminations are increasing,” Zhao Xing observed. “As fewer competitors remain, each elimination is worth significantly more.”
He licked his lips in anticipation. With survival points accumulating and eliminations becoming more rewarding, the final stages of the competition promised immense gains. Competitors who lasted until the last ten days would likely carry at least 500,000 points.
“Patience is key. I’ll focus on consolidating my strength for now,” Zhao Xing thought, calculating his next move.
By the thirty-fifth day of the competition, Zhao Xing had relocated to Crescent Moon Mountain, a remote and barren area far from the shrinking toxic fog. Beneath the surface, Zhao Xing continued refining his understanding of the Essence-Draining Earth Palace, using its principles to push his Boundless Earth Palace technique to new heights.
Deep underground, golden light shimmered as a newly-formed Boundless Earth Palace materialized. Its roof was fan-shaped, and each brick and beam glowed with starlight-like imprints, creating a stunning and intricate design.
When the technique fully stabilized, Zhao Xing smiled in satisfaction.
“It’s done.”
With a wave of his hand, Zhao Xing directed the palace downward. Its foundation, previously resting above the earth veins, now sank partially into them, achieving a deeper integration with the natural flow of energy.
Though the adjustment was minor—only a foot of depth—the results were significant. Zhao Xing immediately noticed a drastic reduction in the rate at which his Essence Qi was being drained.
“In my fully-charged state, I used to last only six days. Now, I can last sixty days!”
“The Essence-Draining Earth Palace’s absorption effect has been reduced by ninety percent.”
Zhao Xing examined his enhanced technique with pride. “This new variation of the Boundless Earth Palace deserves a name. I’ll call it Boundless Starlight.”
Technically, Boundless Starlight remained a high-level technique. However, the improvements Zhao Xing had made elevated its power beyond its original limits. If perfected high-level techniques had a maximum power of 100, supreme techniques started at 10,000. Zhao Xing’s Boundless Starlight, though not yet supreme, had reached an impressive level of 1,000.
“The modifications may not place this among supreme techniques, but it’s enough to counteract the Essence-Draining Earth Palace for now. This is an excellent step forward,” Zhao Xing thought.
He realized that much of his success stemmed from the lack of direct control over the Essence-Draining Earth Palace. Had it been actively operated by a skilled cultivator, his efforts to counteract it would have been far less effective.
Meanwhile, outside the Azure Sea Cave-Heaven, aboard the Genchuan Fubo Ship, fifteen Earthly Advantage Shennong cultivators monitored the arena through an Earth Mirror suspended in the main hall. Suddenly, the mirror emitted a warning signal.
“Buzz—buzz—”
Meng Kun, a Third Rank Flat Plains Shennong, glanced up at the red glow on the mirror.
“One of the Essence-Draining Earth Palaces has been partially disrupted.”
“Where?” he asked.
“Crescent Moon Mountain,” an attendant replied.
Meng Kun’s gaze sharpened. “Who is responsible for casting the Earth Palace in that region?”
A subordinate, Gu Changqing, raised his head. “That would be me, Lord Meng.”
“Changqing, how could your Earth Palace be disrupted without your notice?”
Gu Changqing smiled calmly. “Lord Meng, the palace itself is unharmed. The interference is minor, confined to a small area. I can restore full functionality at any time, but doing so might harm the individual responsible.”
Meng Kun frowned. “What do you mean?”
Gu Changqing gestured toward the Earth Mirror, activating surveillance footage that showed Zhao Xing on the surface. “This individual, Zhao Xing, is registered as a Fifth Rank Beast Tamer but is actually a Earthly Advantage Shennong cultivator.”
Intrigued, Meng Kun signaled for Gu Changqing to elaborate.
“Over the past month, this Zhao Xing has been studying the Earth Palace near Crescent Moon Mountain. He already possesses a high-level technique, the Boundless Earth Palace, and within thirty-five days, he successfully refined it into a new variation capable of negating ninety percent of the Essence-Draining Earth Palace’s effects.”
Meng Kun’s eyebrows rose. “He did this in thirty-five days?”
“Yes,” Gu Changqing confirmed. “A Fifth Rank Shennong accomplishing this is extremely rare. His modified technique, while still high-level, has reached a power threshold close to that of a supreme technique.”
Meng Kun was visibly impressed. “How old is he?”
“According to official records, he’s thirty-four and currently serves as the Left Division Director of the Dragon Horse Directorate on Twin Island.”
“Only thirty-four?” Meng Kun’s expression shifted to one of astonishment. “To think such a genius is wasting his talent managing horses. This man’s abilities should not be squandered!”
Turning to his aides, Meng Kun issued a decisive command. “Gather a full dossier on this Zhao Xing within three hours.”
“Yes, my lord,” one subordinate replied, hurrying off to fulfill the order.
Gu Changqing observed Meng Kun’s interest and ventured a question. “Lord Meng, are you planning to recruit him into Kunyuan Academy?”
Kunyuan Academy was the Earthly Advantage Shennong’s most prestigious institution, a holy ground for their most elite cultivators.
“Of course,” Meng Kun replied without hesitation. “Such talent cannot be allowed to languish in obscurity. Through the academy, we’ll ensure his potential is fully realized.”
Having completed his enhancements to the Boundless Earth Palace, Zhao Xing left Crescent Moon Mountain to resume his participation in the competition. With his improved technique and growing understanding of supreme principles, he felt ready for the challenges ahead.
“Let’s see how far I can push my limits,” Zhao Xing thought as he and his three battle beasts disappeared into the wilderness, preparing for the next phase of the Grand Arena.
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