Chapter 143: Ten Thousand Lines Flow and Drop of Water Domain

"Feng Qiu actually lost?!"

"His wind technique was so powerful, yet he still lost to Zhao Xing."

"I couldn't even follow what happened. Feng Qiu kept charging back and forth in the gorge, then suddenly the gale exploded, and it was over."

"Feng Qiu's wind technique was indeed impressive, but Zhao Xing's combination of techniques was even more mysterious. I didn't even see Zhao Xing until the very end. His cloud technique is just too strong."

"Feng Qiu's undefeated streak has been broken. He was known as the number one wind technique master, but now Zhao Xing has defeated him. Does that mean Zhao Xing's cloud technique is the best among the reserve Shennongs?"

"Zhuang Zhiqing is said to be invincible with thunder techniques, Feng Qiu with wind techniques, and now Zhao Xing with cloud techniques!"

"Imagine if I could ride Feng Qiu, wield Zhao Xing in one hand, and carry Zhuang Zhiqing in the other—who in the reserve could be my opponent? Even Shi Yong would have to bow before me!"

"I heard that Cao Shuang from the Dili Academy has an amazing earth technique. Why don't you throw him in too? That way, you'd be unstoppable both in the skies and underground."

"Hahaha!"

…

Outside the Cloud Gate, on the plaza, Peng Ran, Yu Chunwu, He Yu, and Yang Yang were watching the battle through their Earth Mirrors with rapt attention. When Feng Qiu lost, Yang Yang excitedly slapped his thigh, saying, "Zhao Xing really won! Even someone as strong as Feng Qiu was defeated!"

He Yu sighed, "Now I realize, when Zhao Xing fought me, he wasn't using his full strength at all. He was just practicing on me. No wonder every technique felt like it was barely enough to win against me."

Yu Chunwu also sighed with emotion, "When I first met him, he was sneakily using Yin Wind, and even Li Feng could defeat him. Yet, a little over three months later, he's able to defeat Feng Qiu."

"Good thing we didn't pick a fight with him back then," Peng Ran laughed. "Otherwise, even if the four of us teamed up, we wouldn't stand a chance against him now."

"True, Li Feng's situation was pretty bad," the others laughed.

Back then, when they first reported in and Zhao Xing played a trick on them, the four of them realized it too late. They all wanted to go beat him up.

However, they couldn't find Zhao Xing at the time since they didn't know him yet.

By the time they figured out it was Zhao Xing, it was during the academy test.

Once Zhao Xing used Devouring Cloud, no one could challenge him. His dominance with cloud techniques was undeniable.

As time passed, the gap between them grew larger, and their desire to seek trouble completely disappeared.

"After this battle, Zhao Xing's combat strength is undeniable. The only person who could still stand above him is probably Shi Yong, and I'm not sure if even Zhuang Zhiqing could manage that."

At this point, Zhuang Zhiqing had lost all desire to sleep.

When he saw Feng Qiu unleash the Devouring Wind of the World, he thought Zhao Xing was done for.

After all, that move was too powerful, instantly draining all of Feng Qiu's energy and pushing the might of the Nine Swords Four Gods Secret Technique beyond its limits, reaching the power of a high-level technique.

But to his surprise, Zhao Xing still withstood the attack.

"He's had an enlightenment," Zhuang Zhiqing muttered with a glimmer of battle intent in his eyes. "He must have at least one Seasonal Qi Command that has reached the fourth transformation of the Profound Realm, which is why he could endure it."

Recalling the final moments of the battle between Feng Qiu and Zhao Xing, Zhuang Zhiqing's mind kept going back to that single raindrop.

"It was that raindrop. Its power must have reached the tenth transformation, but his breakthrough is different from Feng Qiu's."

"Feng Qiu's wind technique reached the eleventh transformation purely through his control over wind energy. He used more energy to sustain this extreme manipulation, continuously gathering the fierce winds ever since entering the Wind and Thunder Gorge, storing them to release in one overwhelming attack, making his technique reach the eleventh transformation."

"But after that attack, his energy was completely drained. Yet Zhao Xing's raindrop was able to gather a second time without much effort, which clearly shows that it didn't require nearly as much energy."

Zhuang Zhiqing quickly noticed the difference between the two.

"Zhao Xing has comprehended a high-level technique. Although its power hasn't reached the eleventh transformation yet, Zhao Xing's understanding of the Dao has already surpassed Feng Qiu's, which is why he could easily cast it a second time."

Understanding this key point, Zhuang Zhiqing grew increasingly excited. "I need to go to the Dao Field! I want to test the power of his raindrop myself."

His drowsiness forgotten, Zhuang Zhiqing immediately summoned his cloud and flew straight toward the Dao Field.

In the public area of the Martial Division, Fu Ying looked devastated.

The moment the battle result was revealed, Fu Ying almost threw his Earth Mirror out of frustration.

"Feng Qiu, how could you lose?"

"With your defeat, I'm going to be bankrupt!"

Of the 70,000 points wagered, the others had pooled 20,000. Since there were many contributors, the individual losses weren't too severe.

But Fu Ying alone had bet 50,000 points!

He had planned to fleece Xia Jing, but instead, he had taken a huge loss.

"Fu Ying," Xia Jing said with a smile as he put away his Earth Mirror and walked over to him. "Don't be so down. It's only 50,000 points. For someone like you, it's just a drop in the bucket."

"…"

Fu Ying ground his teeth in frustration.

It was easy for Xia Jing to say, but for Fu Ying, earning those 50,000 points would require taking on multiple missions and working non-stop for three months.

Still, he couldn't lose his composure. While silently cursing Feng Qiu, Xia Jing, and Zhao Xing in his mind, he forced a smile and said, "Of course, it's just 50,000 points. A bet's a bet—I'll transfer it to you now."

With exaggerated nonchalance, Fu Ying pulled out his Earth Mirror, as though the points didn't matter to him at all.

However, Xia Jing noticed that Fu Ying's hand trembled slightly as he transferred the points. In that fleeting moment, there was a flash of hesitation.

Broke but still pretending... Xia Jing couldn't help but smirk.

"All done," Fu Ying said, putting his Earth Mirror away and looking at Xia Jing. "The points have been transferred."

"Very generous of you. On behalf of my brothers, I thank you," Xia Jing grinned.

"Why on behalf of them? We're all right here," Chen Fang interjected, delivering the final blow. "Thanks, Brother Fu!"

"Thanks, Brother Fu. Next time we'll bet with you again," Zhang Jie cheerfully cupped his hands.

"Brother Fu, you're a true man, willing to bet and willing to lose!" Hu Bing gave a thumbs up.

"…"

Fu Ying kept smiling on the surface, but his heart was bleeding inside.

These guys are insufferable!

Inside the Cloud Gate, Cen Sanji flew back to his courtyard with his three students, answering their questions as they traveled.

"Comprehending the secret techniques of the Seasonal Qi Command to reach the fourth transformation of the Profound Realm leads to the understanding of the Phenological Law and the Transformation of Phenology. What Zhao Xing used at the end was a manifestation of the celestial phenomena law. That raindrop was an embodiment of his enlightenment."

"Teacher, how powerful was that raindrop?" one student asked.

"The Phenological Law and the Transformation of Phenology are at least high-level techniques," Cen Sanji replied. "Zhao Xing's raindrop had already reached the baseline power of a high-level technique at the first transformation."

"Teacher, why is Feng Qiu's technique called a mid-level eleventh transformation if its power is said to rival that of a high-level technique?"

Cen Sanji patiently explained, "That's because their understanding of the Dao is different. Feng Qiu's technique may have the power of a high-level technique, but in essence, his comprehension of the Dao is still at the mid-level."

"Zhao Xing's understanding of the Dao, as shown through that raindrop, is already at the high-level."

"Feng Qiu could only cast his technique once before being unable to continue, because his move consumed an immense amount of energy. This proves his understanding of the Dao hasn't reached the high-level yet."

"Zhao Xing, however, could easily cast his technique a second or even third time. This is because his comprehension of the Dao is strong enough that his technique doesn't require as much energy."

The students were suddenly enlightened, understanding the difference between someone who had fully mastered high-level techniques and someone who merely forced their way into it.

One student then asked, "Teacher, why did Zhao Xing say Feng Qiu's path had gone astray?"

Cen Sanji replied, "Because Feng Qiu focuses too much on techniques without paying attention to the Dao. In the ancient cultivation system, the ninth rank is called the Essence Gathering Stage, and the eighth rank is the Spirit Bridge Stage. Do you know why it's called the Spirit Bridge?"

"It's because the Spirit Bridge Stage is about connecting to the heavens and understanding the Dao of the universe. In the Essence Gathering Stage, the focus is on techniques, where the stronger your energy, the stronger your techniques."

"If you use one unit of energy, the technique is one strength; if you use two units, the technique is stronger. But by the time you reach the eighth rank, this method reaches its limits, so you need to build a bridge to the heavens and improve through the understanding of the Dao."

"The seventh rank, Earth Fiend, and the sixth rank, Heavenly Gang, are both stages where you continue to advance along this path of understanding the Dao."

Cen Sanji paused before continuing, "Feng Qiu is overly talented in wind techniques. He can easily manipulate wind energy, and where others would stop at the ninth transformation and begin focusing on the Dao, he felt he could keep pushing forward with techniques alone. So he kept refining them."

"After he lost to Shi Yong and Zhuang Zhiqing in the internal selection, some experts already pointed this out to him, but Feng Qiu didn't listen. Instead, he doubled down and pushed his technique's power to the eleventh transformation."

"Now that he's lost to Zhao Xing, hopefully, he'll wake up."

"If he realizes his mistake and dares to break out of his comfort zone, he still has a long path ahead."

"But if he doesn't change and continues wasting time… he might miss the best period for cultivation. By the time his three souls weaken and his seven spirits wither, he'll never advance beyond the sixth rank."

While discussions raged outside, inside the Cloud Gate, Zhao Xing sat quietly on the preparation platform.

The battle with Feng Qiu had been fruitful, and most importantly, his Seasonal Qi Command had finally broken through, reaching the fourth transformation of the Profound Realm.

"Comprehending the secret techniques of the Seasonal Qi Command, I have focused most on the diagrams of Start of Spring and Rain Water."

"Now that I've broken through, I've finally gained enlightenment on a high-level technique from the Start of Spring."

In front of Zhao Xing floated a single drop of water.

This newly realized technique belonged to the water element. Since it was derived from the Seasonal Qi Command, and involved the transformation of celestial phenomena, it was also classified as part of the Phenological Law.

By constantly adding more high-level techniques to the Seasonal Qi Command, the power of the heavens and earth within it could become complete. This would allow Zhao Xing to reach the second layer—Fixed Heaven Time, enabling him to manipulate the environment on a large scale, bringing any season into reality in an instant, producing miraculous effects.

When used for battle, it would be like unleashing a natural disaster. When used for nurturing life, it could trigger species evolution.

"Since coming down from Spirit Mountain, I've felt my progress with water element cultivation speed up considerably, and my rain technique was perfected early on."

"Of all the elemental techniques I practice, the water element has always been the easiest for me. Even when I received my official position and went to the temple for the ceremony, the first vision I had was from the Rain Water diagram, though it was interrupted."

"But what's meant to be mine will always be mine." Zhao Xing glanced at the panel.

[Drop of Water: High-Level]

[Category: Water Element Technique, Phenological Law]

[Progress: First Transformation]

[Effect: With the power of the water element, gather the force of heaven and earth—a single drop of water contains the world.]

"I wonder if the Earth Mirror contains any references for the Drop of Water technique," Zhao Xing mused as he pulled out his Earth Mirror to search.

Mastering a high-level technique brings more complex applications.

Now that he had realized the Drop of Water technique, he needed to explore its growth potential. To figure out how to progress further, he needed to study the experience of those who had come before him.

After a brief search on the Earth Mirror, numerous secret techniques related to the Drop of Water technique appeared.

Considering that countless practitioners had studied the Seasonal Qi Command over the years, it was now incredibly difficult to discover a brand new technique. Most of what anyone could comprehend had already been realized by others, and many creative variations had been developed.

Zhao Xing's attention was drawn to the top-rated secret technique in the list—Drop of Water Domain.

[Drop of Water Domain is a series of four advanced secret techniques based on the Drop of Water technique.]

[First Technique: One Line from a Drop. Usable from the first to third transformations of the Drop of Water technique. At its peak, it allows control of nine water droplets to attack enemies, forming a line of connection between them. With nine water droplets, you can trap, attack, or defend.]

[Second Technique: Hundred Lines Flow. Usable from the fourth to sixth transformations of the Drop of Water technique. This allows control of one hundred water droplets to attack enemies.]

[Third Technique: Ten Thousand Lines Flow. Usable from the seventh transformation of the Drop of Water technique. Water droplets form into countless threads, creating a layered and deadly attack.]

[Fourth Technique: Drop of Water Domain. At the perfected level of the Drop of Water technique, water droplets are infinite, and wherever they cover becomes a domain under the user's control, granting power over life and death within that area.]

[These four secret techniques are highly complex and require points for purchase. This covers both the creator's compensation and the production costs of the accompanying instructional diagrams.]

[First Technique includes one fifth-level instructional diagram. Price: 50,000 points.]

[Second Technique includes two fifth-level instructional diagrams. Price: 150,000 points.]

[Third Technique includes four fifth-level instructional diagrams. Price: 300,000 points.]

[Fourth Technique includes eight fifth-level instructional diagrams. Price: 1 million points.]

[Note: Class-A talents receive a discount, with top, middle, and lower grades receiving 30%, 20%, and 10% off, respectively. Once purchased, no refunds or transfers are allowed. Please choose wisely!]

"Damn, that's expensive," Zhao Xing couldn't help but complain. "Even with a discount, the first technique still costs 35,000 points."

But he understood the reason for the high price.

Drop of Water Domain not only provided a cultivation path for the Drop of Water technique, but also secret techniques to enhance its use.

The same technique in the hands of different people could yield very different results.

The Dao is the foundation, the technique is the expression, and secret techniques are the experience.

Take Feng Qiu, for example. His wind techniques were more powerful than others because he had developed several secret techniques to enhance his mastery of the wind.

Similarly, the straw puppet technique Zhao Xing had learned from Xue Wenzhong's Liu's Compiled Eighty-One Techniques was also slightly different, since the method of constructing the straw puppets varied.

For instance, Zhao Xing had been considering a special technique from the Self School called Xuanhuang Yuan Analysis Technique, created by Mi Fu. Though it was fundamentally an analysis technique, Mi Fu's version used external objects to allow practitioners to cultivate the Pure Earth long before others could!

Of course, Mi Fu's technique could almost be considered a new method entirely.

Now Zhao Xing was facing the choice of purchasing the cultivation path and secret techniques for the Drop of Water technique.

If it was too expensive, he could always choose to cultivate it on his own.

But if he wanted to buy it, he would have to pay for the instructional diagrams and the creator's intellectual property.

If everything were free, the imperial court wouldn't be able to sustain it. If creators were forced to contribute for free, no one would be motivated to innovate, as they would all wait for others to do so.

"Looks like I'll need to find ways to earn points in the future," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

For now, he wasn't in a hurry to buy anything. After all, even basic use of high-level techniques was enough to give him an edge over most of the other geniuses in the Shennong Division.

A high-level technique, even in its simplest form, was enough to let Zhao Xing stand above the other talents in the Shennong Division.

"First, I'll finish this third-stage promotion battle," Zhao Xing decided as he clicked on the opponent-matching feature in his Earth Mirror.