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Chapter 214: The Arrival of the Spiritual Blessing in Ten Sun Cave-Heaven!
🕑 Added 2024-11-06 16:27:45 +0000 UTCOn the morning of March 2nd, Zhao Xing received a message through his ground mirror.
[Li Tianning has invited you to join the 'Ten Sun Cave-Heaven Elite Exploration Group.' Do you accept the invitation?]
"So soon? Old Liu is reliable!" Zhao Xing was overjoyed.
He had thought that after being approached by Princess You Ruo, Liu Tianning wouldn't have time to arrange the exploration group.
That’s why as soon as he left the Palace of Myriad Techniques yesterday, he immediately sent a message to Xia Jing, urging him to secure the 'exploration pass' as quickly as possible.
If there were no news today, Zhao Xing planned to discuss the matter with Lord Tian.
Preparing multiple backup plans, any one that worked would be good enough.
Unexpectedly, Liu Tianning proved to be extremely reliable.
He had settled everything by today!
"Accept!" Zhao Xing quickly selected the option to accept.
Several more messages immediately popped up on his ground mirror.
[You have joined the 'Ten Sun Cave-Heaven Elite Exploration Group.']
[Liu Tianning has appointed you as an Advanced Exploration Officer. You have been granted 'Advanced Exploration Officer' qualification.]
[Liu Tianning has appointed you as 'Deputy Officer of the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven Elite Exploration Group,' giving you the authority to invite and dismiss other members.]
['Ten Sun Cave-Heaven Elite Exploration Group' member count: 2/30.]
[No current tasks assigned for the 'Ten Sun Cave-Heaven Elite Exploration Group.' You may submit tasks (all categories, all regions).]
"Master is amazing!" Zhao Xing couldn't help but exclaim. "This is what I call professionalism!"
He originally thought that Liu Tianning would only form a small exploration group with a limited number of slots—maybe three or four at most. But unexpectedly, he had created a full-fledged exploration team!
All categories, all regions—now, within Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, Zhao Xing could go anywhere.
Moreover, he was directly appointed as 'Deputy Officer' of the group, allowing him to have the authority to recruit members.
"Efficient and capable—no wonder Emperor Wu favored him." Zhao Xing praised Liu Tianning in his heart. "With his multiple avatars, handling one Princess You Ruo is nothing. Even a hundred wouldn't be enough to bother him! I underestimated him."
At the bottom of the messages, there was a private note from Liu Tianning.
[You now have the necessary permissions. Do not visit the Palace of Myriad Techniques unless it's something important. Also, ten spots are reserved for others. The remaining slots are at your discretion.]
Seeing this message, Zhao Xing pondered, "Liu Tianning reserved ten spots, which confirms my suspicion—someone must have asked him for a favor."
"Princess You Ruo, Murong Qing, and perhaps other acquaintances too."
Zhao Xing didn't know much about Liu Tianning’s background and connections.
In his previous life, by the time Zhao Xing became familiar with Liu Tianning, the man was already a figure of immense power and influence. If there were any higher connections behind him, they could only be Emperor Wu.
However, the Liu family of Taihe County in Daoyuan Continent was a thousand-year-old aristocratic family, with members serving in high-ranking official positions since the time of the founding emperor. The creator of 'Liu's Compiled Techniques,' Liu Zonghai, had even held a second-rank position in the government.
Liu Tianning was undoubtedly a descendant of this noble family, so having a network of powerful connections was perfectly normal.
Though Liu Tianning was the most outstanding of his generation, he wasn’t the current family head. His father had passed away, but several older brothers still held official positions within the government.
"Now that I have this qualification, the next steps will be much easier," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
As for the available spots, Zhao Xing had no intention of squandering them. Apart from the ten slots Liu Tianning asked to reserve, the remaining ones were extremely valuable.
Liu Tianning might not yet realize just how valuable these spots would become. After all, only a few influential figures had arrived so far. While they knew something significant was about to happen, they didn't yet grasp the full magnitude of the event.
Zhao Xing also anticipated that Liu Tianning might need to add more people to the team later.
"Even if I can only allocate three or four spots myself, each one would be a significant favor."
"These slots could determine the rise or fall of an entire family," Zhao Xing mused.
The first two spots were already decided: Chen Shijie and Long Xiao.
These two friends certainly wouldn’t have a way to secure 'Advanced Exploration Officer' qualifications on their own.
Before the qualifications tightened, it was already quite challenging to obtain the advanced status.
Even securing a 'Mid-Level Exploration Officer' spot required going through a lengthy process, let alone achieving advanced status.
Chen Shijie and Long Xiao could turn to Yang An, but Yang An was a military official, and getting things done in this regard was not as easy as it would be for Liu Tianning, who was a Shennong.
Once the policies tightened, it would become even more difficult.
After all, Yang An had offended King Liang in the past, and though he was re-employed, it didn’t mean King Liang had forgiven him. Even if King Liang remained silent, his faction would still instinctively suppress Yang An.
"Whether Chen Shijie’s fate can be changed depends on this opportunity," Zhao Xing thought.
As for Xia Jing, Zhao Xing was waiting for news from him.
If Xia Jing managed to secure his own slot, it would free up one more space for someone else.
When it came to the eruption of spiritual blessings in the cave-heaven, fewer people in the group was better. Ideally, everyone would be familiar with each other, making it easier to distribute the benefits.
After responding to Liu Tianning’s message, Zhao Xing left the house.
On March 2nd, when Zhao Xing received his slot, everything within Ten Sun Cave-Heaven remained calm. Most people still had no idea what was about to happen.
It wasn’t until the morning of March 7th that many princes, nobles, and figures from thousand-year-old families suddenly began appearing in Ten Sun Cave-Heaven.
That evening, Xia Jing hurried to the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard and knocked on the door.
When Zhao Xing opened it, Xia Jing entered and immediately said:
"Zhao Xing, you were right! Something big is about to happen!"
"Oh? What’s going on?" Zhao Xing asked.
"I don’t know exactly what yet, but my father managed to secure several exploration officer slots for me."
"He said that only by having this qualification can one participate."
"An exploration officer?"
"Let’s not waste time talking," Xia Jing said, pulling out his ground mirror. "I got you a 'Mid-Level Exploration Officer' slot for Extreme Night Sea. I'll send you the invitation right now. Accept it, and we’ll talk more after."
Zhao Xing smiled, gesturing with his hand. "Brother, calm down and sit first."
"Calm down?" Xia Jing exclaimed. "You don’t understand what this means! My father and uncle have been running around these past few days, and my family’s diviner, Elder Xiao, sacrificed fifty years of his lifespan to predict this opportunity. He got me a slot in the 'Advanced Exploration Group' for Extreme Night Sea!"
"However, I’m an advanced officer, and I can only get you a mid-level spot... Huh? Why can’t I invite you?"
Xia Jing fumbled around in confusion, only to find that he couldn’t send an invitation to Zhao Xing.
His ground mirror displayed: [The recipient is already an Advanced Exploration Officer. Unable to invite.]
"What?" Xia Jing was stunned. He looked up at Zhao Xing, who was sitting leisurely, drinking tea.
"You... you’re already an advanced officer?" Xia Jing asked, incredulous.
"I told you to calm down," Zhao Xing said. "Sit down, and I’ll explain."
Now much calmer, Xia Jing sat down.
Zhao Xing had already prepared a story: "It was a stroke of luck."
"After I read your fortune last time and saw that we all had good fortune coming, I figured it had to be something affecting the entire Ten Sun Cave-Heaven."
"Exactly! My uncle said the same thing!" Xia Jing nodded.
Zhao Xing continued, "At the same time, I noticed that all exploration and investigation-related missions in Ten Sun Cave-Heaven had suddenly decreased, and the qualifications for various positions were becoming slightly stricter."
"That’s when I decided to visit my teacher, Liu Tianning."
"My teacher is a Fifth-Rank Shennong, and he seemed to have sensed the anomaly as well. So, he created an 'Elite Exploration Group' on the spot."
In Zhao Xing’s narrative, the cause and effect were deliberately blurred, making it seem like he had just been lucky enough to catch the right moment and rely on his connection to Liu Tianning.
Rather than implying that he had predicted and guided everything.
"Elite?!" Xia Jing’s eyes widened. "All categories, all regions, unrestricted exploration?"
"Yes," Zhao Xing nodded. "I was fortunate—my teacher happens to be particularly suited for such tasks."
"No wonder you told me to calm down," Xia Jing said. "Turns out, you had something even better lined up."
"Xia Jing, would you like to join my group?" Zhao Xing asked. "I can offer you an advanced exploration officer slot, with no regional restrictions."
"Wait... You can make that call?" Xia Jing asked, still stunned.
"My teacher is busy," Zhao Xing explained. "After creating the group, he appointed me as deputy, with the authority to recruit members."
"..."
Xia Jing didn’t know what to say.
He had thought his family’s connections had given him a huge advantage, but now Zhao Xing not only held an advanced qualification but also controlled additional slots.
It all made sense in hindsight.
Zhao Xing had approached Liu Tianning on March 1st. Liu Tianning had immediately acted and approved everything by the next morning.
Meanwhile, Xia Jing’s family hadn’t realized the need for exploration slots until March 4th, and it wasn’t until March 7th that they had successfully secured them.
In this kind of opportunity, even a day's delay made a huge difference.
Xia Jing had still been among the first to act, obtaining an advanced exploration officer qualification (albeit limited to a specific region).
If he had waited just a few more days, high-ranking nobles and officials would be scrambling to secure even mid-level exploration slots, as these would serve as entry tickets.
"This slot of yours is extremely valuable. I expect more people will come to your teacher, and he might take back your authority. Are you sure you can add me? I don’t want to make things difficult for you," Xia Jing said.
"That’s easy to handle," Zhao Xing replied. "Keep your other exploration group as a backup. If there’s ever an issue, you can switch back."
Xia Jing still hesitated. He knew he would be benefiting greatly from this, and while they were friends, it didn’t feel right to accept without giving something in return.
Zhao Xing, seeing his hesitation, acted annoyed: "Come on, what’s this hesitation? Just say what’s on your mind. Or do you not consider me a brother?"
Xia Jing immediately said, "Zhao Xing, do you have any more spots?"
"Yes. Apart from the ones I’m saving for Chen Shijie, Long Xiao, and you, I still have a few more available."
Xia Jing explained, "My cousin, Ji Ziyun, is the heir to Prince Pingyang. You asked me to get someone into the Hundred Weapons Academy last time, and I used my uncle's connections to make it happen. If you can add him to the group, you’d be doing me a huge favor."
"I was originally going to ask you for this on behalf of my father and uncle. If you agree, it’ll save us some trouble."
Xia Jing’s aunt had married into the royal family, and the Pingyang region wasn’t in the same province as Pinghai, where Zhao Xing was based. Instead, it was in Yuanping Province, where Yue Lingzhi, the future divine craftsman Zhao Xing had invested in, was located.
When Zhao Xing had wanted to send Yue Lingzhi to the Hundred Weapons Academy in Yuanping Province, Xia Jing had used his uncle’s connections to facilitate it.
However, Xia Jing was also hesitant, unsure if Zhao Xing would value a connection so far from his home province.
"Why would that be difficult?" Zhao Xing laughed. "Consider it done."
Xia Jing had overthought it—Zhao Xing was more than happy to expand his network beyond Pinghai Province.
"Great, I’ll go discuss it with them right away."
"Be quick," Zhao Xing said. "I plan to set off tomorrow."
"I’ll get back to you soon," Xia Jing replied, leaving in a hurry.
After Xia Jing left, Zhao Xing sent a message to Liu Tianning.
Liu Tianning had only told him not to visit the Palace of Myriad Techniques unnecessarily, but messaging was fine.
With so many straw puppet avatars, Liu Tianning always had time to read messages.
Sure enough, after a short while, Liu Tianning replied.
It was, as usual, a brief message:
[Got it. In the future, collect favors according to this standard.]
Upon receiving the message, Zhao Xing couldn’t help but reflect on how far things had come.
"Out of the 30 available slots, Liu Tianning and I are taking two. After reserving the 10 spots Liu Tianning asked for and giving slots to Chen Shijie, Long Xiao, Xia Jing, and Ji Ziyun, I still have 14 left to allocate."
"Each of these slots is worth a huge favor, at the level of a prince or a powerful marquis like Xiahou. Even if I don’t get any spiritual blessings, I’ll still walk away with more than I expected."
Zhao Xing hadn’t anticipated that apprenticing under Liu Tianning would bring him so many benefits.
Who would have thought that the cold and ruthless Liu Tianning, whom Zhao Xing had feared in his past life, would turn out to be such a doting master in this one?
Liu Tianning undoubtedly knew how valuable the exploration group would become, but he hadn’t revoked Zhao Xing’s authority. He was clearly giving his disciple the chance to build connections.
And the standard he set for those connections was quite high—at least the level of a prince or a powerful marquis.
"People will certainly try to pressure Liu Tianning, but he’ll bear the brunt of it, leaving me to collect the favors."
Zhao Xing marveled at the twists of fate. In his past life, he had developed a psychological fear of Liu Tianning after being repeatedly executed by him. Yet in this life, he had become Liu Tianning’s favored disciple.
…
March 8th, at dawn.
Xia Jing returned, this time accompanied by a fair-skinned young man in luxurious clothing.
"Zhao Xing, this is my cousin, Ji Ziyun, heir to Prince Pingyang."
"Ziyun, this is my good brother from the military, Zhao Xing. During the war, he earned over a million battle merits and was titled Marquis of Yuanrang. He’s currently a Sixth-Rank Commanding Officer in the Shenwei Army."
Ji Ziyun smiled and cupped his hands in salute: "I’ve heard much about you from Xia Jing, Marquis Yuanrang. To rise from the ranks of a clerk to Sixth-Rank in just over two years, and to have achieved great feats in the battles of Fire Dragon Pass and Soul Sacrifice Pass—you are truly a model for all of us. It’s an honor to meet you today."
Ji Ziyun had clearly done his homework before arriving, as he even knew Zhao Xing’s origins as a clerk.
His words were courteous, showing none of the arrogance one might expect from a prince’s heir.
"You flatter me, Ziyun," Zhao Xing replied with a humble smile. "Please, both of you, come inside and have a seat in the courtyard."
"After you," Ji Ziyun said, walking half a step behind Zhao Xing as they moved from the courtyard to the main hall.
Once seated in the main hall, the three quickly became acquainted, helped along by their mutual connections and youthful energy.
"Ziyun, I remember you served in the army too, didn’t you? Wasn’t it in the 13th year of the Jingxin Era?" Xia Jing asked.
Ji Ziyun nodded. "Yes, I enlisted in the Ying Tian Army in February of that year, but since there were no major battles, I transferred to a civilian role in September. I served in the Nine Heavens Yingyuan Prefecture for two years. During that time, I even passed through Nanyang County, but I didn’t make it to Gucheng."
"In early 15th year of the Jingxin Era, my grandmother passed away, so I left Yingyuan Prefecture to attend her funeral in Jingzhao Prefecture. I later spent three years in mourning at Yuanling, and only returned to Yuanping Province last month."
Zhao Xing cupped his hands in respect: "You are truly a dutiful and filial grandson."
Ji Ziyun’s grandmother, in terms of seniority, was the late Emperor Jing’s aunt, though she was younger than Emperor Jing himself. She wasn’t entitled to a burial in the imperial mausoleum and was instead interred in the royal mausoleum.
Strictly speaking, Ji Ziyun didn’t need to observe the full three years of mourning, but the royal family was held to a higher standard under Zhou law.
Emperor Jing was known for being strict with his relatives. During the reforms of his reign, he had even executed several of his siblings, cousins, and nephews—most of them at the hands of King Liang. As a result, the royal family was very careful to follow the rules.
"Marquis Yuanrang, you needn’t address me as the heir. Please, if you don’t mind, call me Ji brother, as Xia Jing does," Ji Ziyun said.
"Ziyun, what’s with calling me by my childhood nickname?" Xia Jing interjected, slightly embarrassed.
Xia Jing’s courtesy name was Lin Yun. The name ‘Lin,’ meaning ‘qilin,’ symbolized auspiciousness, and ‘Yun,’ meaning sunlight, carried the connotation of bright prospects.
When Xia Jing was born, his father was overjoyed and exclaimed, "I’ve been blessed with a qilin son today!" Since then, Xia Jing’s nickname had been ‘Qilin,’ and his close family members, including Ji Ziyun, continued to call him that as a term of endearment.
Zhao Xing chuckled. "In that case, I’ll take the liberty of calling you Ji brother. And there’s no need to address me as Marquis Yuanrang. I have yet to be given a courtesy name, so you can simply call me by my name."
Ji Ziyun raised an eyebrow in surprise. Xia Jing explained: "Zhao Xing is only twenty-two. He enlisted before he turned twenty, so his elders have not yet bestowed a courtesy name upon him."
"Only twenty-two?" Ji Ziyun was astonished. "You’re three years younger than Xia Jing?"
Zhao Xing had started as a commoner and had risen to the Sixth-Rank position of Commanding Officer in just two years. His rapid ascent was indeed impressive.
To have gone from a lowly clerk to Sixth-Rank in such a short time, with no background or connections, was an extraordinary feat.
"I’ve had some luck along the way," Zhao Xing said modestly.
"Ziyun, stop calling me by my childhood name!" Xia Jing complained.
"I’ve been calling you that since we were kids," Ji Ziyun replied, spreading his hands. "Old habits die hard. Besides, what’s wrong with the name ‘Qilin’? You are, after all, the qilin of the Xia family."
"Would you like it if I called you ‘Little Badger’?" Xia Jing retorted.
"..."
"Ha ha ha!" Zhao Xing couldn’t help but laugh at their exchange.
…
After seeing off Ji Ziyun and Xia Jing, the group agreed to depart on March 10th to secure their position ahead of time.
Long Xiao and Chen Shijie had already made preparations and moved into the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard upon receiving the notification.
On the morning of March 9th, just before dawn:
"Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap~"
The familiar sound of wooden horses echoed in the air, accompanied by the faint sound of drums and gongs.
"Marquis Yuanrang! Come out and accept your reward!"
Zhao Xing ran outside and saw Gao Ming riding a wooden horse at the entrance to the courtyard, leading a small procession behind him.
When Emperor Jing conferred Zhao Xing’s title, it came with a flying vessel, a jade scepter, and even an exotic beast.
The flying vessel was a 'Kirin Airship,' a top-tier Grade Five artifact. It was not only highly functional but also a symbol of status.
Anyone who saw the Kirin Airship knew that a marquis was inside.
This was the official mode of transport for attending grand ceremonies.
Aside from that, Zhao Xing was also awarded a 'Bronze Beast-Headed War Chariot,' another top-tier Grade Five artifact.
The 'Green-eyed Dragon Lions' were specifically chosen to pull this chariot.
At this moment, two massive beasts, each over three meters tall, stood behind Gao Ming. They had heads like lions, but their bodies were covered in silvery dragon scales.
Their eyes were as large as bronze bells, slightly bulging and emitting a faint greenish glow, with no visible eyelids.
These were hybrid dragon beasts, both of which had reached the peak of the Earth Fiend stage. Their combat strength was comparable to that of early-stage Heavenly Gang cultivators.
"Gao Ming, why are you delivering the reward? Isn’t this supposed to be the duty of the ceremonial officers?" Zhao Xing laughed. "You sure cover a lot of different duties."
"Hey, yours truly is one of the officials in charge of the Yangcheng Ceremonial Department," Gao Ming replied smugly.
"Impressive," Zhao Xing praised.
Gao Ming held his proud expression for a moment before sighing in defeat: "Ah, but being in charge is no easy task."
"While you all get to enjoy the grand ceremonial processions, the rough work is left to us runners," Gao Ming complained. "You wouldn’t believe how many beasts I’ve had to manage these past few days—I’m starting to smell like them!"
Gao Ming looked genuinely pitiful.
"I appreciate the hard work, Gao Ming."
"Don’t just say it—I'm waiting for Marquis Yuanrang’s reward," Gao Ming said with a grin, extending his hand.
"Haha, don’t worry," Zhao Xing replied with a laugh. He had already prepared a ‘red envelope’ for the officials delivering his reward. With a wave of his hand, a dozen gift boxes floated out from his room.
The large box went to Gao Ming, while the smaller ones were distributed to those behind him.
"Thank you, Marquis Yuanrang!" Gao Ming bowed respectfully with the box in hand.
"Thank you, Marquis Yuanrang!" the others echoed.
"Bring the reward inside," Gao Ming commanded.
Soon, attendants began leading the beasts inside, carrying the flying vessel, and drummers followed suit.
Once the crowd dispersed, Zhao Xing approached the two Bi-eyed Dragon Lions.
"Snort~" The two dragons snorted loudly.
Suddenly, a dark shadow darted out, positioning itself between Zhao Xing and the dragon lions, hunching down defensively and growling at the massive beasts.
"Meow~"
The two dragon lions immediately backed away a few steps.
"Haha, these big creatures are no match for our Ao Tian," Long Xiao said with a chuckle.
"Is it jealous?" Chen Shijie added with amusement, seeing how the mountain cat blocked Zhao Xing from approaching.
Zhao Xing patted the cat’s head. "These beasts are meant for pulling carts. How could they compare to you, the true child of the Cloud Marquis family? Alright, move aside."
Ao Tian the mountain cat lifted its head and trotted off to the side.
"Zhao Xing, these creatures aren’t easy to tame. Want a hand?" Long Xiao asked, cracking his knuckles. "I broke my two tigers into submission with a good beating."
"No need," Zhao Xing replied calmly.
He then released his Heavenly Gang stage pressure, taking one step closer to the dragon lions.
The two beasts retreated with every step he took, unable to meet his gaze.
"Whoosh~" Zhao Xing leaped onto the Bronze Beast-Headed War Chariot, grabbed the reins, and commanded in a low voice: "Come here, put yourselves in harness!"
To his surprise, the two Bi-eyed Dragon Lions obeyed without hesitation, stepping forward and fitting themselves into the harness.
"Humm~" The beast-head carvings on the war chariot glowed, and the dragon lions reared up on their hind legs, letting out a thunderous roar toward the sky.
Standing firm atop the chariot, Zhao Xing remained unmoved. With a flick of the reins, he guided the war chariot around the courtyard in a high-speed sprint.
Watching how swiftly he had tamed the two fierce beasts, Long Xiao raised an eyebrow.
"Zhao Xing has gotten stronger again."
"Indeed," Chen Shijie agreed, staring at Zhao Xing’s silhouette on the chariot. "Who would have thought that the boy from Gucheng would become the mighty Marquis Yuanrang in just two years?"
"When you helped him back then, did you expect that you’d be benefiting from his rise now?" Long Xiao asked with a smile.
"Who could’ve predicted it?" Chen Shijie shook his head. "I certainly didn’t expect him to easily secure even advanced exploration officer slots."
"Let’s go—there are plenty more good things ahead," Long Xiao said, patting Chen Shijie on the shoulder as he walked toward Zhao Xing.
Chen Shijie smiled and followed.
…
On March 10th, the suns of Ten Sun Cave-Heaven began disappearing one by one, leaving only a single sun hanging in the sky.
At that very hour, pillars of spiritual light shot up into the sky from various regions.
In Yang City, the sky was filled with wondrous phenomena.
By noon, the three kings of the military realm announced that the entrances and exits to Ten Sun Cave-Heaven were sealed, prohibiting any movement.
At the third quarter of noon, the Shennong Office announced that Ten Sun Cave-Heaven had been elevated to a blessed land.
The spiritual blessing Zhao Xing had long awaited had finally arrived!
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