Chapter 132: It's All Because of That Xia Jing!

The martial instructor had a packed day of training lined up for Xia Jing, Chen Fang, Zhang Jie, Hu Bing, and the other ten.

First, they started with paired sparring for a quarter-hour warm-up.

Then came the extreme running exercise.

Extreme Running involved immediately pushing yourself to your physical limits, rapidly depleting all your energy. Afterward, you had to rely solely on willpower to keep going.

Once participants reached their breaking point, the instructor would stop them according to each person's condition.

But stopping didn't mean resting—it meant continuing to fight the martial instructor.

An hour and a half later, people were being stopped one after another.

"Wang Meng, attack me! Hurry!"

The instructor lashed out with a whip.

"Tiger Roar Fist!"

Wang Meng charged forward, fists trembling, his movements already heavily distorted.

"Bam!" With a light kick, the instructor sent Wang Meng crashing to the ground.

"Get up! You must believe in your potential and use your willpower to control your strength," the instructor commanded. "When you think you can't go on, that's precisely when you're truly training! Hurry!"

Gasping for breath, his body aching and muscles trembling uncontrollably, Wang Meng forced himself to get up again.

His body had already lost control, and his movements were wildly erratic. He looked like a drunken brute, while the instructor easily dodged his attacks and knocked him down repeatedly.

"Bam!" This time, Wang Meng didn't get up—he fainted.

"Whoosh!" The nearby medic rushed over to treat him.

"He couldn't even last an hour," the instructor shook his head slightly. "Wang Meng is the weakest in this group of ten, and his willpower is just as lacking."

When these warriors were full of energy, they could each achieve total mastery over their body's strength, perfectly executing their techniques with precision and control.

But after extreme training, it became much harder to maintain that state. Only those with iron willpower could continue to deliver precise strikes, keeping their technique's power from dropping significantly before they finally collapsed.

After an hour and a half of training, only Xia Jing, Chen Fang, Hu Bing, and Zhang Jie were still running. The other six had already reached their limit and collapsed into unconsciousness before being revived by the medic.

"I still have a long way to go compared to the top talents of the Four Martial Divisions," Wang Meng sighed as he watched the remaining four keep running.

"Gurgle, gurgle~" Wang Meng's stomach growled as he watched. He was starving.

The other five felt the same—after an hour and a half of extreme training, they were all ravenous.

But hunger was something they had to endure. Their food supply depended on Zhao Xing, the Shennong.

If he didn't grow anything, they wouldn't have anything to eat.

Enduring hunger was also part of their training!

"Do you think Zhao Xing can provide enough food for the ten of us?" Wang Meng asked the person next to him. "Our group is pretty strong, so we'll eat a lot."

"Who knows?" the person shrugged. "Chen Fang said that Zhao Xing is a top-level genius from the Dili Academy of the Shennong Division. A talent like that wouldn't let us starve for long."

"Don't worry. In one day, a Shennong can at least grow enough second-level supplies for everyone."

"It's the same logic as the first round of training. The superiors wouldn't pair us with an incompetent Shennong. Back in the 'Martial Arts Training,' as long as the Shennongs held out, they were considered victorious, while we warriors were judged by our number of knockouts."

"So, it's assumed that the Shennong can grow enough food in one day to keep us going."

"The warriors assigned to the fifty flying ships of the Dili Academy are all among the strongest."

"That makes sense, but what if he deliberately starves us because he has a grudge against Xia Jing?" Wang Meng asked.

"That's possible, but he needs points too," the person scoffed. "Why would he throw away his own points?"

"If some groups are paired with weaker Shennongs who aren't great at farming, then, sure, they might not have enough food. In that case, they won't score well on the rapid-eating training either."

"Well, luck plays a part, just like in the previous round. Some people get lucky and coast through to a higher ranking."

"But it's not likely. Like I said, the Shennongs they paired with us should all be capable enough to grow enough food."

"And this is only the first hour and a half—there probably isn't much yet."

"True. Even if Zhao Xing has a grudge against Xia Jing, he won't deliberately starve him. Wait… what's that?"

Suddenly, they saw a blue whirlwind spinning toward them from the distance.

"Hey, looks like food's on the way!" Wang Meng grinned. "Only an hour and a half, and Zhao Xing's already delivering. Not bad."

"Food's here, everyone!" The other six immediately stood up.

The instructor also noticed Zhao Xing's arrival.

He glanced at the whirlwind, a strange look flickering in his eyes.

Wang Meng and the others couldn't see clearly, but the instructor saw at a glance that the whirlwind was carrying a massive number of fruits!

"So much? Is it second-level supplies?" The instructor knew the rules for Shennongs well—supplies were divided into second, third, and fourth levels.

Second-level supplies were easier to grow, so the quantity was large. A thousand pounds only got you base points, which showed it wasn't too difficult.

The higher the level, the smaller the quantity, but the more points awarded—this is where a Shennong's skill truly shone.

"Stop!" the instructor called off Xia Jing's group. "Gather!"

Shwish shwish shwish~ The ten of them immediately gathered beside the instructor.

"Time to replenish your energy!"

When a Shennong delivered food, the warriors had to start eating immediately. The rapid-eating training was crucial.

Back at Chen Shijie's manor, Zhao Xing had eaten his meals in a hurry—it was a habit from his time in the military.

"You need to eat the food your Shennong has grown as fast as possible to restore your energy."

"For every ten pounds eaten, you'll get one portion. The more you eat and the less time you take, the better your score in rapid-eating training!"

As the instructor spoke, Zhao Xing arrived, riding the whirlwind toward the group of warriors.

When the ten warriors saw the sheer quantity of supplies in that whirlwind, their eyes widened in shock.

There was so much!

They never expected Zhao Xing to deliver such a massive amount after only an hour and a half.

Shwish~ The judge, Zhou Ming, appeared beside the group of warriors.

"Commander Liu," Zhou Ming greeted the instructor, Liu Yongli. "Zhao Xing from the Shenwei Army has produced three-level supplies, totaling five thousand pounds. Please have the warriors begin their rapid-eating training immediately."

How much?!

Wang Meng was dumbfounded.

Three-level supplies… Five thousand pounds?!

Chen Fang, Zhang Jie, and Hu Bing were also wide-eyed with shock.

That's way too much! Did he really grow all that in just an hour and a half?!

Xia Jing's mouth twitched as he glanced at Zhao Xing, who was smiling back at him from above.

"Ahem… Very well." Liu Yongli pointed to an open area. "Please place them here."

"Whoosh~"

With a wave of his hand, Zhao Xing sent a gust of wind sweeping across the open space.

When the wind settled, a small mountain of Horse Fish Fruit appeared on the ground.

"These are third-level supplies, Horse Fish Fruit. Consuming them will quickly restore your energy."

Zhou Ming explained to the nearby medic.

The medic rubbed his forehead and went to grab his medical kit.

Wait, what? Medic, why are you getting the kit? Does this mean the Horse Fish Fruit isn't safe to eat?!

Seeing this, the ten warriors were already filled with a sense of dread before even starting to eat.

"Sir, how should we eat this Horse Fish Fruit?" Wang Meng asked cautiously.

"It's simple—just eat it whole, skin and all," Zhou Ming replied with a grin.

Simple? Then why are you smiling like that?

Why does your grin look so gleefully malicious?!

Zhao Xing glanced at Zhou Ming, realizing that this judge also liked to stir things up.

"Begin," Liu Yongli commanded.

The ten warriors stepped toward the small mountain of Horse Fish Fruit and began their rapid-eating training.

Zhou Ming didn't leave—he wanted to watch the show.

And Zhao Xing stayed as well. He wasn't in any hurry to replant. He wanted to watch Xia Jing eat—it gave him satisfaction!

"Crunch!"

Xia Jing took a bite of the Horse Fish Fruit, finding it sour and hard to swallow.

As soon as the skin broke, juice gushed out.

A pungent fishy smell filled his nostrils—a stench so strong, it was like someone had served up a decayed fish that had been dead for days.

Xia Jing had never liked fish, and this smell was nauseating.

"Crunch~"

Forcing down his revulsion, he swallowed the bite, his stomach immediately churning.

But Xia Jing didn't let his discomfort show.

He knew Zhao Xing was watching from above, and he didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing his struggle.

"I, Xia Jing, am the proud son of a marquis household—how could I be daunted by a mere fruit!"

"I'll eat it all!"

In just a few bites, Xia Jing devoured the fist-sized Horse Fish Fruit.

He even smiled up at Zhao Xing. "Thank you for the meal, Zhao Xing! The Horse Fish Fruit is delicious—it suits my taste perfectly!"

Chen Fang, Zhang Jie, and Hu Bing exchanged strange glances.

Dude, your mouth is way too tough.

Did you really just say this thing is tasty?!

But then they realized Xia Jing was speaking toward the sky, and it all made sense.

He's trying to save face!

"Brother Xia, you're too kind. It's just a Shennong's duty," Zhao Xing smiled back. "I've heard that you're the number one genius of the Azure Dragon Division, so I'm sure your rapid-eating training will be top-notch as well."

Tough talk, huh? Let's see just how tough you are!

Zhou Ming chuckled at the verbal sparring between the two.

Xia Jing didn't want to admit defeat.

Zhao Xing, on the other hand, seized the opportunity to praise him and elevate the pressure.

You're the number one genius—surely you can't eat less than the others, right?!

"I won't disappoint you!" Xia Jing responded, quickly activating his Devouring Technique to absorb the fruit's energy.

"Hmm?" As soon as he began circulating the technique, Xia Jing felt a sharp, tingling sensation, as though he'd been shocked.

At first, it wasn't too bad.

But each time he circulated the technique, the shocks intensified.

With his technique at the third layer, he absorbed energy quickly, meaning the shocks came even faster.

"Damn it! This Horse Fish Fruit's energy feels like getting zapped!" Xia Jing cursed inwardly, but he had already boasted, so he kept a calm facade and continued eating.

After eating two fruits, he had only consumed one pound.

It took ten pounds to count as one portion, so Xia Jing needed to eat 20 fruits.

Halfway through, he suddenly felt a slight cramp in his stomach.

His blood flow wasn't circulating properly either.

Damn, this Horse Fish Fruit is poisonous!

"Devour Heaven and Earth!"

Xia Jing used his technique to expel the toxins.

To his credit, he was the fastest to finish his first portion.

The others weren't as good at hiding their discomfort.

"Ugh, this stuff is nasty—tastes like rotting fish!"

"Brother Chen, Brother Hu, are you guys feeling a tingling sensation when you eat?" Zhang Jie asked quietly.

"Yeah, the faster you absorb the energy, the more intense the shocks," Chen Fang said, his brow furrowed deeply.

"Something's wrong—I think I've been poisoned!" Hu Bing's face turned pale.

"What? Poisoned?" Wang Meng looked shocked. "Why don't I feel anything?"

"You're eating slowly—you haven't absorbed enough of the toxins yet," Hu Bing said, quickly sitting down to circulate his technique. "Once you finish your portion, you'll understand."

"This…" Wang Meng stared at the purple-black fruit in his hand, speechless.

Suddenly, he didn't feel very hungry anymore.

"We're unlucky to have Zhao Xing as our Shennong."

"Shh! Keep it down—do you have a death wish?!"

"We can't blame Zhao Xing. It's all Xia Jing's fault! Why did we get stuck in the same group as him?"

"True. He even had the nerve to say it tasted good—doesn't he realize he's making Zhao Xing go even harder on us?!"

"Sigh…"

Up in the sky, Zhao Xing watched Xia Jing finish five portions before finally leaving.

As soon as Zhao Xing left, Xia Jing's facade broke. He furrowed his brows tightly as his stomach roiled, making him feel like throwing up.

Just as Zhao Xing was flying away, he glanced back and smirked.

He had used his Hawk Eye technique for three full quarters of an hour and finally confirmed that Xia Jing was pretending to act tough—not only out of pride but for another reason.

"He wants me to think that the Horse Fish Fruit is no big deal for him to digest."

"He's trying to get me to switch to a different food next time?"

"He doesn't like the fishy smell—he hates strong flavors?"

Hawk Eye allowed Zhao Xing to detect subtle shifts in people's mental states. Although Xia Jing had hidden it well, Zhao Xing still caught on.

"Well, well…"

Zhao Xing returned to his flying ship and began rummaging through his supply boxes.

"Three-level supplies too easy for you? Let's see if you can keep up with four-level supplies!"

"If I don't make you cry from eating, then I'm no good as a Shennong!"

Zhao Xing chuckled darkly as he searched.

"Got it!"

After rummaging through the four-level supply box for a while, his eyes landed on a particular seedling.

"Cackle cackle cackle~"

Finding the perfect plant, Zhao Xing let out an eerie laugh.

Zhou Ming, who was heading back from watching the warriors, saw Zhao Xing laughing maniacally as he searched and instinctively stepped back. "Why does his laugh sound so creepy…? Wait, is he planning to grow that?"

"Hiss! Xia Jing is really going to suffer now after offending this guy…"