Chapter 138: The New Three Tianshi Techniques and the Nine Sections Battlefield

The Nine Sections Shennong were initially specialized in warfare. When people first referred to the military Shennong, they meant the Nine Sections Shennong, as early military Shennong had no responsibility for army logistics. They were purely focused on combat.

However, as the Fortune Dynasty evolved, wars often occurred beyond the borders rather than within the kingdom. This necessitated higher requirements for military Shennong, leading to further specialization.

After leaving Fuchun Courtyard, Zhao Xing took out his Earth Mirror, reviewing the specific details of the Nine Sections Battlefield as he walked back to Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard. By the time he reached the courtyard, Zhao Xing had familiarized himself with the information.

The Battlefield is a site for soldiers to engage in practical combat exercises.

The Nine Sections Battlefield is specifically for Shennong to engage in battle drills.

The Battlefield follows a points-based system. A win grants 1 point, a loss deducts 1 point, and a draw awards no points.

There are various formats: one-on-one duels, ten-person squad battles, hundred-person team battles, and ten-thousand-person army clashes.

At the grandest scale, there are Corps Battles, with the most prestigious being the Soldier's World Corps Grand Tournament.

However, within the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, the largest available match is the ten-thousand-person army battle.

The Nine Sections Battlefield is equipped with an array of formations to simulate various environments, offering over ten thousand battleground maps.

"The Battlefield is constructed using a legendary divine artifact, the Dao Source Pearl. It's a treasure of immense value, on par with the Great Dream Academy. This divine artifact holds immense secrets," Zhao Xing's eyes flashed with desire. However, he quickly extinguished that thought.

"Thinking about this now is premature. Even as a top-ranked Shennong, the Dao Source Pearl won't fall into my hands."

"If I ever want to obtain the Dao Source Pearl, I'd have to wait until the Emperor Xu Dynasty collapses and the Fortune Dynasty shows signs of weakening."

Zhao Xing applied for practice access to the Battlefield using the Earth Mirror. Once his access to the Battlefield was activated, he would automatically gain entry to the Nine Sections Battlefield as well.

[Zhao Xing of the Shenwei Army, you have been granted access to the Battlefield (Ten Sun Cave-Heaven). You may now engage in various forms of training within the Battlefield.]

[Your current information:]

Name: Zhao Xing

Affiliation: Shenwei Army

Matches: None

Rank: Unrated

Battlefield Points: None

"Just a blank slate for now," Zhao Xing remarked, stowing away the Earth Mirror. "No rush to jump in just yet. It's better to train first before going in, or I'll end up getting wrecked."

The personal training within the Nine Sections Battlefield randomly matches opponents from all the Shennong within the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven.

The matchmaking system pairs individuals of similar rank, and although Zhao Xing was a reserve soldier, his rank was still at the eighth grade, meaning he could potentially be matched against seasoned Shennong from the regular army.

Zhao Xing wasn't interested in the ranked battles; his goal was to test his skills and further his understanding of the Three Great Manuals.

As he arrived at the gates of Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard, the sound of rapid hoofbeats caught his attention from behind.

"Old Gao?" Zhao Xing glanced back to see Gao Ming approaching with a large pack on his back. "I didn't order anything."

"There's a letter for you," Gao Ming said. "It's from the outside world, sent through the official channel of the Gucheng County Office."

"A letter?" Zhao Xing was puzzled. Gao Ming handed him a box instead of a traditional letter.

"See you later," Gao Ming said before riding off.

Zhao Xing entered the courtyard, opened the box, and found inside a Mirage Pearl along with two letters.

The first letter was signed by Zhao Ruide.

The second was from Zong Shichang.

Zhao Xing opened Zong Shichang's letter first:

"To my dearest friend, I hope this letter finds you well and brings a smile to your face. Since we parted in Gucheng, several months have passed without seeing each other. How have you been lately..."

"Is this really from Zong Shichang? Brother, did you hire a scholar to ghostwrite this?" Zhao Xing chuckled.

It was evident that Zong Shichang, now an official, had polished his writing style with the help of a scribe.

The letter didn't contain much in the way of content since the real message was hidden within the Mirage Pearl.

Zhao Xing injected a wisp of Essence Qi into the Mirage Pearl, as instructed in the letter.

The next moment, the pearl shimmered, and a projection lit up the room with a vivid 3D image.

Zong Shichang's face appeared first. He was wearing his official Lotus Carp Robe, and from the background, it seemed he was at his residence.

As the image moved, Zong Shichang was seen brushing the dust off his sleeve, seemingly unaware the recording had started.

"Young master, it's rolling," a voice from offscreen said.

"Oh, oh."

Zong Shichang straightened up, cleared his throat, and addressed the camera.

"Zhao Xing, I've been transferred back to Nanyang County!"

"Heh, take a look at this Lotus Carp Robe—I'm now at the ninth rank!"

"I'm now the same rank as a senior Shennong!"

"Aren't I impressive? It only took me three months to return to Nanyang County, and I even got promoted!"

"How about you? How are things going in the army? Have you gotten promoted and made a fortune yet? You'd better step up, or next time we meet, you'll have to call me Lord Zong! Hahahaha…"

Zhao Xing smiled at Zong Shichang's cocky expression.

To give credit where it was due, Zong Shichang did indeed have some skill. In just a few months, he had secured a promotion and returned to Nanyang County.

"Alright, my turn, my turn!"

"Brother Zong, you've had enough screen time!"

At that moment, another voice chimed in from offscreen.

Zong Shichang waved someone forward, and the familiar figure of Zhao Zheng bounced into the frame.

He was dressed in a white training robe, with bandages around his feet. He appeared thinner but had grown taller.

"Big brother! I…"

Zhao Zheng opened his mouth but suddenly seemed unsure of what to say. After calling out "big brother," he just stood there awkwardly.

"Why aren't you speaking? Weren't you just clamoring to talk to your big brother?" Zong Shichang ruffled Zhao Zheng's hair.

"But this isn't really my big brother—it's Uncle Tang's face!" Zhao Zheng scratched his head. "Facing Uncle Tang, I don't know what to say."

"That's rude!" Zong Shichang playfully smacked Zhao Zheng's head. "Manager Tang isn't ugly!"

"Ah! I didn't mean it that way..." Zhao Zheng, unsure of how to recover, quickly ran closer to the camera. "How about I show you a set of punches, big brother?"

With that, Zhao Zheng began demonstrating a punch technique.

"Ha! Big brother, watch closely! This is called the Tiger Subduing Fist!"

With a coordinated stance, Zhao Zheng launched forward, striking one of the support columns of the Zong residence.

His form had some power behind it, though he moved slightly out of frame.

The camera angle was adjusted by Manager Tang, bringing Zhao Zheng back into view.

But within moments, Zhao Xing burst into laughter.

Zhao Zheng was crouched down, clutching his hand and blowing on his knuckles.

"Hahaha… what were you thinking? That support column is made of century-old hardwood, you fool!" Zong Shichang laughed mercilessly.

"Ouch! Brother Zong, why didn't you warn me..." Zhao Zheng whimpered, tears welling up in his eyes.

Once Zong Shichang had calmed down and Manager Tang reminded him that the Mirage Pearl's recording time was almost up, Zong quickly wrapped things up.

"Zhao Xing, I'll keep it short. Everything back home is good. The Xuantian Sect hasn't shown up again, and your family is safe and healthy. The martial artist I hired for Zhao Zheng is very diligent. Don't be fooled by his current state—he's already at the Essence Gathering Stage, second rank."

"You don't need to worry. Focus on your military training. If you need anything, send a letter through the county office. My father has some connections in the military as well… Zhao Zheng, do you have anything else to say?"

Zong Shichang turned to Zhao Zheng.

Zhao Zheng, still teary-eyed, moved closer to the Mirage Pearl and spoke softly, "Big brother, when will you come back to visit me? I miss you."

Hummm...

The recording ended.

Zhao Xing, who had been smiling moments earlier, suddenly paused upon hearing Zhao Zheng's last words.

He ran his thumb over the surface of the Mirage Pearl for a moment, then let out a soft smile again.

After putting away the Mirage Pearl, Zhao Xing opened Zhao Ruide's letter.

It was fairly simple, mostly talking about the small things at home. The letter also mentioned the Xue family.

The old Shennong's temporary position had been made permanent, and he had been promoted from the upper ninth rank to the lower ninth rank.

Zhao Xing figured Xue Wenzhong had benefited from the destruction of the Xuantian Sect's hideout.

Having secured the position late in life, with his grandson Xue Bai finding a legitimate job, the old Shennong's health had improved, and he seemed more spirited than last year.

Zhao Ruide also humorously complained about Madam Cai, saying how she constantly checked on the Heavenly Origin Pear Tree, caring more about the tree than her husband.

After finishing the letter, Zhao Xing wrote two replies.

He recorded a brief message using the Mirage Pearl, giving a brief update on his situation. The core message boiled down to four words: All is well.

After sending the letters, Zhao Xing ordered an express courier service using the Earth Mirror.

Soon enough, Gao Ming returned to the gate of Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard.

"Need express service?"

"Yeah, might as well."

Zhao Xing had accumulated a lot of points, and with another 5,000 points arriving this month, he didn't mind spending a few here and there.

"Living the high life, huh?" Gao Ming chuckled, taking the box. "You're not short on points now that you're a top-tier talent."

Pausing for a moment, Gao Ming asked, "By the way, is it true you only sleep for one hour a day and spend the rest of your time cultivating?"

Zhao Xing blinked. "Who told you that?"

"Everyone in the Shennong Division is talking about it. Is it true?"

Zhao Xing nodded. "More or less."

Gao Ming gave him a thumbs up. "You're intense. A lot of people have been ordering items to help with mental clarity so they can keep up with you. Your fellow Shennong are really going all out."

Zhao Xing shrugged. "You Mechanists aren't much better. You're always working yourselves to the bone until your hair falls out. You seem like the exception, though."

Gao Ming scratched his head. "I'm not particularly skilled, so I run odd jobs to earn points. Alright, I'm off."

"Take care."

In the Tianshi Academy, inside a grand hall stood 108 towering stone monuments.

Each monument was etched with intricate diagrams, and they reached heights of over fifty meters. The energy radiating from them was palpable—some radiating intense heat, others exuding a biting cold.

Zhao Xing sat cross-legged, about fifty meters away from the Start of Spring Monument, quietly meditating on it.

"Start of Spring, the first of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms."

"The flow of the five elements begins here; spring's wood energy emerges, and thus it is called Start of Spring."

"The Start of Spring Monument and the surrounding twenty-six monuments all depict aspects of spring."

"The first stage of the Seasonal Qi Command is the Awareness Stage. What does it mean to be aware of the seasons? It means understanding the five elemental changes contained within the solar terms, understanding the three micro-seasons within each term, and knowing the effects of Tianshi techniques during different seasonal transitions."

"Techniques, micro-seasons, and five elements. In the Awareness Stage, the first three levels focus on techniques, the middle three levels on the micro-seasons, and the last three levels on the five elements."

"My previously condensed Start of Spring and Start of Summer Seasonal Commands have both reached the second level."

"After three days of meditation here, I've completed the remaining eighteen Seasonal Commands, and Start of Spring and Start of Summer have reached the third level. This place is truly a treasure of the Tianshi Academy."

Zhao Xing had been granted two opportunities to meditate here. After completing his second training session, he finally utilized one.

The results were impressive. Now, twenty-four Seasonal Commands floated in his dantian, with the Start of Spring and Start of Summer Commands being the most solid, revolving around his Houtu Gravel.

"At the third level, techniques can be enhanced. I've meditated on the monuments and observed plant growth and the natural formation of Tianshi techniques. I've even grasped three new Tianshi techniques. However, I still haven't fully comprehended the micro-season changes."

Zhao Xing knew it was time to leave. Further meditation wouldn't yield significant progress in the short term.

"Time to head to the Nine Sections Battlefield."

Leaving the Tianshi Hall, Zhao Xing rose into the air on his Cloud Stepping Boots, heading northwest toward Yang City.

"I've gained three new Tianshi techniques: Heavenly Frost, Heavenly Fire, and Mist Concealment. Each technique emerged fully formed at the seventh level."

"I derived these from the Start of Spring, Start of Summer, and Frost Descends solar terms."

"These three Tianshi techniques are strongest during their respective solar terms."

"I'll begin practicing these techniques to test my understanding from the past three days."

"These three Tianshi techniques are manifestations of seasonal phenomena. Mastery of them might bring me closer to the fourth level of the Awareness Stage, where I can control micro-season changes."

The entrance to the Battlefield lay in the northwest of Yang City, and after flying for about half an hour, Zhao Xing arrived at the gate.

It was an enormous cloud gate, standing a hundred meters tall and fifty meters wide, its frame made entirely of condensed cloud energy.

"Let's sign up first."

Zhao Xing used his Earth Mirror to locate the training course for the Nine Sections Battlefield.

This course was overseen by a Shennong named Cen Sanji.

[The Nine Sections Battlefield elective requires D-tier talents to earn a seven-star rating within one month.]

[C-tier talents must earn a fourteen-star rating within one month.]

[B-tier talents, within the same timeframe, must earn a twenty-one-star rating. During this month, Cen Sanji will occasionally give lectures and demonstrations in the plaza outside the Cloud Gate.]

"Three days have passed since the course began, and more than 2,500 people have completed the training," Zhao Xing noted while reading the information on the Earth Mirror. "However, most of them are D-tier talents."

Many participants had already spent a lot of time training in the Nine Sections Battlefield, so they had completed the course quickly.

"Seventy-five have passed at the C-tier, and twelve have passed at the B-tier."

The Battlefield rankings ranged from one-star to seven-star, meaning Zhao Xing needed to reach the third rank within a month to pass the course.

"I wonder how tough it is. Now that reserves are allowed to train here, there should be plenty of newbies to compete against."

Zhao Xing glanced at the people entering and exiting the Cloud Gate. "Let's give it a shot."

With that, Zhao Xing joined the flow of people and flew into the Cloud Gate.