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Chapter 197: Could He Truly Be a Peerless Genius?
🕑 Added 2024-11-02 15:23:12 +0000 UTC"Lord Zhao, his name is Yue Lingzhi. He was originally an eighth-rank Divine Weaponsmith, but due to an error in crafting armor, Lord Lu punished him by making him sweep the floor here in the Divine Weapon Hall. He’ll resume his position once he finishes his punishment," the officer whispered softly.
"How long has he been doing this?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Over two months," the officer replied.
Zhao Xing frowned, then activated his Hawk Eye to observe Yue Lingzhi more carefully. He noticed that the broom Yue Lingzhi was holding, which appeared ordinary, was actually full of intricate mechanisms and extremely heavy, weighing at least a thousand pounds.
Holding such a heavy object was already exhausting. Moreover, if the broom left the ground or was dropped for more than two breaths, lightning would be emitted from the handle, shocking Yue Lingzhi.
This meant that Yue Lingzhi couldn’t stop sweeping. He had to continuously work, or else he would be electrocuted.
As for why the impeccably clean Divine Weapon Hall still required sweeping? The punishment didn’t need a reason. Even stepping with the wrong foot into the hall could become grounds for such a penalty.
"Lu Tingzhi’s narrow-mindedness and his tendency to mistreat his subordinates have become all too evident," Zhao Xing thought darkly. "Damn it, in my past life, when I took bribes of 10,000 taels, 9,000 were snatched away by this bastard."
In the Divine Weapon Hall, with so many officers coming and going to exchange items, the punishment clearly carried a humiliating intention.
The Transport Division was full of craftsmen, but it also managed other professions like Shennong, priests, weavers, and martial artists. Lu Tingzhi held a significant amount of power. Punishing a lowly eighth-rank weaponsmith was as easy as flipping his hand.
"Thank you, brother, for the information," Zhao Xing cupped his hands and left the hall. He had made up his mind to meet with Lu Tingzhi and ask for this person’s release.
Because Yue Lingzhi was not just any ordinary weaponsmith. In the future, he would become a renowned Divine Artisan. Like Wang Ji, the mechanist who dabbled in many skills, Yue Lingzhi would specialize in weapon forging and eventually master the ancient Heavenly Sect Sword-Crafting Method.
The weapons crafted by Yue Lingzhi would be 30% more powerful than those forged by others, and he would go on to become the imperial smith of Emperor Wu, with unrestricted access to the royal treasury.
This was an investment opportunity Zhao Xing couldn’t pass up!
Zhao Xing prepared himself before heading to the public office of the Transport Division. As soon as Lu Tingzhi was informed, he quickly made time to meet with Zhao Xing.
"Greetings, Lord Lu," Zhao Xing cupped his hands.
"Ah, Shennong Zhao, have you completed your prayers?" Lu Tingzhi asked with a smile.
"It’s done," Zhao Xing replied. "I came specifically to thank you for making the trip here."
Lu Tingzhi raised an eyebrow as he noticed Zhao Xing carrying a box. "Shennong Zhao, what’s this about? Coming to Fire Dragon Pass is my duty."
"My lord," Zhao Xing smiled, "this is a small gift I brought from the Fire Dragon Pass, some spoils of war that belong to me personally. They’re nothing valuable, just some unique trinkets from the barbarians, a token of my appreciation."
"Put that away..." Lu Tingzhi was about to refuse, as he was still cautious about accepting gifts at this point in his career, unlike the later years when he became a notorious bribe-taker. He didn’t want to sully his reputation by accepting Zhao Xing’s gift on their first meeting.
However, Zhao Xing had already opened the box, and Lu Tingzhi’s words trailed off as his eyes landed on the contents.
"Since it’s a token of your appreciation, I’ll accept it," Lu Tingzhi said with a change of heart.
Zhao Xing sneered inwardly.
"As if I didn’t know what this greedy bastard likes?"
Lu Tingzhi had a passion for collecting rare and strange items, and after the original commander of Fire Dragon Pass, Yue Haisheng, fled, he hadn’t had time to take his wealth with him. All those treasures fell into the hands of the three armies, and Zhao Xing had simply selected a box of unique treasures to cater to Lu Tingzhi’s tastes.
"Please sit, Shennong Zhao," Lu Tingzhi’s attitude warmed up significantly as he gestured for Zhao Xing to take a seat.
After Lu Tingzhi admired the items in the box, he was pleased. "I didn’t realize you also had an eye for collections," he said, examining a pair of ornate bull-horn cups.
"I dabble in it," Zhao Xing replied modestly, "but I’m not nearly as skilled at discerning treasures as you are, my lord."
"Hahaha, we’ll have to spend more time together in the future, then," Lu Tingzhi laughed.
"As long as I don’t become a bother," Zhao Xing replied with a smile, though he was cursing internally. This man was already hinting at wanting more gifts in the future. How shameless!
After a bit more small talk, Lu Tingzhi took the initiative to offer his help. "Shennong Zhao, with your remarkable battle achievements, you must have gained many spoils. If there’s any special treasure you need or any item that’s not on the Military Exchange List, you can let me know."
Lu Tingzhi might have been greedy, but he was someone who would actually help once he received gifts. The Transport Division handled the distribution of supplies, and sometimes stock shortages occurred. The order in which resources were allocated to the armies could make a significant difference.
With that kind of power, people naturally sought to curry favor with him.
"I do have one small favor to ask," Zhao Xing said. "Though we have successfully captured Fire Dragon Pass, the losses were significant. Our need for skilled craftsmen is great. Could you temporarily lend us some personnel to help?"
"How many do you need, and at what rank?" Lu Tingzhi asked after some thought.
"Just one team of eighth-rank craftsmen," Zhao Xing replied.
Lu Tingzhi nodded slightly. Zhao Xing’s request wasn’t excessive, as he was only asking for ten people. With the large number of craftsmen under the Transport Division, this was an easy request to fulfill.
Seeing that Zhao Xing was a rising star and someone who understood how things worked, Lu Tingzhi was happy to oblige. He handed over a token and said, "Consider it done. Take this token to the Crafting Division and select your people."
"Many thanks, my lord. I’ll take my leave," Zhao Xing responded with a pleased expression, taking the token and departing.
As Zhao Xing left, Lu Tingzhi smiled as he flipped through the box of treasures again. "This one’s interesting. A big gift for a small favor—worth keeping an eye on his camp."
Zhao Xing wasted no time in heading to the Crafting Division, where he crossed out Yue Lingzhi's name from the punishment list and selected nine other craftsmen to join the Shenwei Army.
After completing the formalities, the ten of them became part of his army. Then, along with a seventh-rank officer from the Crafting Division, Zhao Xing returned to the Divine Weapon Hall.
"Stop sweeping. Come with me," the officer said to Yue Lingzhi.
Yue Lingzhi looked up in confusion but, in that brief moment of distraction, the broom he had been holding emitted lightning, shocking him. His body trembled as the electricity coursed through him.
"Yue Lingzhi, this is Lord Zhao of the Shenwei Army," the officer said, clearly not fond of Yue Lingzhi. "You should be grateful. Lord Zhao has taken an interest in you. Now show your respect."
Zhao Xing flicked his finger at the broom, and its internal mechanisms broke apart, rendering it useless. Yue Lingzhi’s hand involuntarily let go of the broom.
Holding up the transfer order, Zhao Xing said, "You’ve been reassigned under me. If you’re willing to leave, you can come with me. If not, I won’t force you."
"I’m willing," Yue Lingzhi replied, nodding quickly. Though he didn’t understand why, anything was better than this humiliating punishment.
Zhao Xing smiled slightly. He had anticipated that Yue Lingzhi would want to leave. Lu Tingzhi’s punishment was purely a waste of time.
"Let’s go," Zhao Xing said, patting Yue Lingzhi on the shoulder.
As Yue Lingzhi looked at the imposing figure of Zhao Xing, he instinctively followed behind him.
After leaving the ship, Zhao Xing assigned the other nine craftsmen to Wang Ji, but Yue Lingzhi had a different fate.
"You aren’t suited for fighting in the Shenwei Army," Zhao Xing said. "I have another place in mind for you. Do you want to hear it?"
Yue Lingzhi was puzzled. He had just been transferred but wasn’t meant to stay with the Shenwei Army? "Where do you want to send me, my lord?" he asked.
Zhao Xing thought for a moment. "To the Hundred Weapons Academy in Youyuan Prefecture."
Yue Lingzhi was stunned. "I’m not worthy to be a teacher at the Hundred Weapons Academy," he said, feeling uncertain.
Zhao Xing chuckled. "I’m not suggesting you become a teacher. I’m sending you to be an Outer Sect Disciple."
In the previous life, Yue Lingzhi had spent three fruitless years in the army, unable to break past the eighth rank. Only after leaving the army and enrolling in the Hundred Weapons Academy did he rise to prominence, eventually becoming the vice president of the Youyuan Prefecture branch of the academy.
It was at the Hundred Weapons Academy that Yue Lingzhi’s talents blossomed, and Zhao Xing intended to guide him back to the path where he would succeed.
Yue Lingzhi thought for a while before making his decision. "I’m willing to go."
Zhao Xing smiled as he saw that Yue Lingzhi had made his decision. Now that Yue Lingzhi had agreed, Zhao Xing's next step was to ensure that the transfer went smoothly.
"You'll stay at Fire Dragon Pass for a while," Zhao Xing said. "I'll take care of this matter for you. It may take some time, but I assure you it will be done."
"Thank you," Yue Lingzhi said sincerely, bowing deeply. "I don't know who I remind you of, my lord, but… thank you."
Zhao Xing smiled, pleased with how things were turning out. His investment in Yue Lingzhi had already come halfway to fruition.
The remaining half, of course, required the assistance of Xia Jing.
The Hundred Weapons Academy was in Youyuan Prefecture, located in Yuanpin Province, which was not part of Pinghai Province. The fact that it was located in another province meant that pulling strings would be necessary, and only someone with Xia Jing’s influence could help make it happen.
Zhao Xing thought about who he could approach with this request. His mentor, Lord Tian, though influential, was now a civil official without military power. Even if Zhao Xing asked him for help, Lord Tian would have to pull favors from others, which could be complicated.
And Yang An, while an excellent young general, didn’t have the same level of connections yet. As for Xia Jing, however, the story was different. With his father’s prestige and his own growing influence, it would only take a word from him.
So, Zhao Xing sought Xia Jing’s help, saying simply, "Young Master Xia, I need a favor."
Xia Jing looked at Zhao Xing and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? It sounds serious. You're even calling me 'Young Master' now," he remarked with amusement.
Zhao Xing chuckled, knowing that Xia Jing wouldn’t refuse. "I need you to help me get someone into the Hundred Weapons Academy in Youyuan Prefecture. He’s already an eighth-rank weaponsmith, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. He just needs to get in as an Outer Sect Disciple."
"That’s all?" Xia Jing asked. "Why go all the way to Youyuan Prefecture? Don’t we have branches of the Hundred Weapons Academy in Heqiu Prefecture, Anping Prefecture, and Datong Prefecture here in Pinghai?"
Zhao Xing thought quickly and responded, "He has family there, so it would be more convenient for him."
"I see." Xia Jing didn't press further. "It’s not a problem. Give me a month, and I’ll get it done. Let him wait for my message."
Zhao Xing clasped his hands in gratitude, "Many thanks, Young Master Xia. I’ll owe you one."
Xia Jing waved it off. "Don’t worry about it. But… you’ll owe me something in the next life, okay?"
Zhao Xing laughed heartily. "In the next life, I'll be your servant!"
"Hold on!" Xia Jing grinned. "Did you mean to say that?"
"Hahaha!"
After securing Yue Lingzhi’s future, Zhao Xing decided to take a walk through the camp of the fifteen armies stationed outside Fire Dragon Pass, hoping to find more potential talents who could rise to greatness.
Unfortunately, this time, Zhao Xing didn’t come across anyone particularly noteworthy. When he returned, he casually asked Xia Jing if he had heard of a person named Mi Fu, a prodigy known for the rare technique Xuanhuang Divination.
Xia Jing, however, had no knowledge of anyone by that name but promised to ask around on Zhao Xing's behalf.
Zhao Xing also scanned the ranking boards for sixth, seventh, and eighth ranks to see if there were any familiar names. While a few names did seem vaguely recognizable, just seeing a name wasn't enough to confirm anything.
"I’ll have to meet them in person before I can be sure," Zhao Xing thought. He marked the names in his mind, intending to investigate further if the opportunity arose.
Now that he had reached his goal of a million battle points, Zhao Xing was ranked sixty-ninth on the seventh-rank merit list. "If everything goes as planned, I should be promoted during the next phase of awards," Zhao Xing thought.
If all went well, Zhao Xing could be promoted from Lower Seventh Rank directly to Upper Sixth Rank, bypassing the Primary Seventh Rank altogether.
However, the higher ranks, particularly sixth rank, were a different story. Once someone reached Primary Sixth Rank, they would no longer be deployed to the battlefield because replacing generals on a large scale could destabilize the entire army.
Therefore, in the Jingxin Era, high-ranking officers were often not promoted immediately, even if they had enough merit, to prevent a massive turnover in leadership.
Back in the Weapon Tower of the Divine Court…
The three kings—Lord Lingde, Lord Tianyan, and Lord Luohou—were monitoring the battlefield.
"Chen Shijie has accumulated 890,000 battle points, Long Xiao and Zuo Zizhi have over 800,000 each, and Liao Rulong and Wen Shaoyang, both lieutenants, have broken through the million mark," Lord Lingde remarked. "Even though Jiang Ming, another lieutenant, only has 500,000 points, Shenwei Army has certainly made a name for itself in this war."
"Shenwei Army was considered the weakest when they entered the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, and yet they've performed so well in this battle," Lord Tianyan added with a smile. "It’s been a surprising turn of events."
"Indeed. Liao Rulong was bold in his decision-making, which led to their success," Lord Lingde continued. "The boldness to carry out Zhao Xing’s plan to steal the Earth Fire Lotus Seeds and bomb Crescent Moon City was critical to the victory."
"If another, more conservative commander had been in charge, that plan would have been rejected outright," Lord Tianyan said.
"Six of the seven Swordmasters in Shenwei Army participated in the mission—Yu Ziqi and Long Xiao among them," Lord Lingde noted. "And Chen Shijie and Zhao Xing, both elite Shennong, played key roles."
"Sending all of them on such a dangerous infiltration mission was a gamble. Most commanders wouldn't have dared make such a call," Lord Tianyan added.
It had indeed been a risky maneuver. Had any of those men died, Liao Rulong would have been held accountable for recklessly sending them to their deaths. Fire Dragon Pass was a formidable fortress, and as the commanding officer, Liao Rulong would have borne full responsibility.
But it had paid off, and Liao Rulong had reaped significant rewards for his bold strategy.
Meanwhile, Lord Luohou remained silent, clearly displeased. He had lost a bet regarding the success of Shenwei Army.
"He keeps surprising me," Lord Luohou finally spoke. "Zhao Xing’s accomplishments have been far beyond my expectations."
Lord Tianyan chuckled. "Don't be too upset, Luohou. You’ve only lost two Seventh-Grade Divine Weapons. It's not that big of a deal."
"I'm not upset about the weapons," Lord Luohou replied. "It’s Zhao Xing. He keeps defying my predictions…"
It wasn’t the loss of material things that bothered Lord Luohou—it was that Zhao Xing repeatedly shattered his understanding of the war and his expectations of people.
The other two kings laughed, trying to console Lord Luohou. But deep down, they too were impressed with Zhao Xing’s achievements.
"Could it be that Zhao Xing is truly a peerless genius? What will he do next?" Lord Luohou wondered silently.
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