Chapter 191: What? How Many Did He Plant?

"The formation shouldn't use the Zhaoyang Earth Fire Array, but rather the Chongguang Earth Fire Array. The foundation shouldn't be built with 'Earth Copper Soil,' but instead with 'Overlord Gold Sand.'"

"Time is pressing, and though the Shenwei Army's craftsmen aren't very proficient in this field, they managed. However, it's best to replace it later."

"How can you use a strong base method to cultivate this area of fourth-rank Earth Fire Lotus? Don't you know that the Analysis Technique is the most suitable?"

"The Qian position has a Yaoguang Return-to-Origin Array set up, but the fire from the earth's veins hasn't been fully utilized... Who placed the foundation of the Return-to-Origin Array here?"

Dong He pointed around the planting area surrounding Dongshang Volcano, with Zhao Xing and Wang Ji accompanying him.

Upon hearing Dong He's questions, Wang Ji replied in a muffled voice, "It was me, sir."

Dong He replied indifferently, "Youngsters being careless is understandable. Fortunately, it's only third and fourth-rank cultivation. You must be more meticulous when it comes to fifth-rank formations."

Wang Ji opened his mouth but, in the end, only cupped his hands in submission.

Dong He had been criticizing his work non-stop since arriving, and the worst part was that Dong He wasn't entirely wrong, which made Wang Ji feel incredibly stifled.

"Master Zhao," Dong He turned to Zhao Xing, "I heard you are proficient in a high-level Analysis Technique?"

"Yes, it's called—" Zhao Xing had barely started speaking when Dong He turned away, pointing to a lotus area ahead, "You stand at the Kun position of the fourth-rank Earth Fire Nourishing Array and assist me by casting your spell."

"Soon, I'll have the people from the Xuanjia Army fine-tune the formation. I'll also assign some Shennong from the Xuanjia Army to assist you. If the survival rate in your area exceeds thirty percent, that would already be commendable..."

As Dong He continued speaking, Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness.

Dong He seemed accustomed to issuing commands, treating Zhao Xing as if he were his subordinate. Moreover, Dong He was incredibly self-assured, stemming from his deep confidence in his knowledge.

After all, in the Xuanjia Army, Dong He was revered by every division.

Within just an hour, Dong He had critiqued all of Zhao Xing's men.

To be fair, Dong He did know what he was talking about, but the way he acted, with a sense of superiority, was a bit much.

No wonder Xia Jing found him so exasperating.

"Master Dong, should we discuss this a bit more?" Zhao Xing suggested, "You've just arrived in Dongshang City, and everyone—"

But Dong He waved off Zhao Xing's suggestion, cutting him off. "Master Zhao, there's no need for discussion. We are pressed for time—"

Suddenly, a mechanical sound echoed from Wang Ji's waist.

A track rotated from behind him, and a row of miniature crossbow bolts loaded into place on his shoulder, gleaming coldly as they aimed at Dong He.

Dong He, startled, fell silent, and those around him stared in shock at Wang Ji.

"Master Dong, you have sharp eyes," Wang Ji declared loudly, "Please, observe this crossbow bolt. Is it any good?"

Dong He glanced at the small crossbow on Wang Ji's shoulder and nodded. "It's quite good."

Wang Ji sneered, "The material used for it is none other than the fifth-rank Qijin Wood planted by Master Zhao."

"Why not listen to Master Zhao's opinions?"

Dong He fell silent, realizing why Wang Ji had suddenly exploded in anger.

Seeing the look in Wang Ji's eyes, Dong He had no doubt that if he continued to disregard Zhao Xing, this young man might actually shoot him.

Zhao Xing, having been interrupted by Dong He several times, was also simmering with frustration. Still, he remained silent, ignoring Wang Ji's outburst.

Dammit, this guy really doesn't know when to stop!

After a brief pause, Dong He nodded, "Master Zhao, please continue with what you were saying earlier."

Seeing this, Zhao Xing glanced at Wang Ji. "Wang Ji, the brothers from the Xuanjia Army came here to help. You were a bit out of line. Go find Han Bing and receive your punishment."

Wang Ji muttered under his breath but walked off. Zhao Xing's words were clearly meant to give Dong He a way out of the situation.

"Understood," Wang Ji grunted before leaving.

"Master Dong," Zhao Xing cupped his hands slightly, speaking calmly, "What you said earlier isn't wrong."

"However, it was my decision to use the Zhaoyang Earth Fire Array instead of the Chongguang Earth Fire Array, and I also ordered the use of 'Earth Copper Soil' instead of 'Overlord Gold Sand.'"

"What you suggested is indeed better, but it's also twice as expensive. The Shenwei Army cannot afford such extravagance."

Upon hearing this, Dong He, unwilling to back down, argued, "But without these auxiliary materials, the success rate will decrease, which could also be seen as wasteful."

Zhao Xing, no longer interested in debating, knew that the two of them simply had different approaches.

Dong He was used to fighting well-funded battles, always given the best resources as a sixth-rank Shennong in the Xuanjia Army.

Zhao Xing, on the other hand, was used to being frugal. He only needed the configuration to meet the basic requirements.

Take the Earth Fire Lotus, for example. There wasn't much of a difference between a fifth-rank lower-grade fireproof robe and a middle-grade one when crossing the Flame Mountain.

Their cultivation techniques were fundamentally different.

Dong He specialized in high-level foundational reinforcement, requiring all those expensive auxiliary materials. Meanwhile, Zhao Xing's Analysis Technique didn't need such stringent conditions.

Zhao Xing laid out his plan, "Master Dong, you and I will each lead a group to cultivate the Earth Fire Lotus."

"If you need manpower or materials, the Shenwei Army will prioritize supplying you."

Prioritize supplying me? Dong He looked at Zhao Xing, puzzled.

He felt as though there was an underlying meaning in Zhao Xing's words.

Was Zhao Xing implying that his own techniques were superior?

"As for how things go on my side, Master Dong needn't worry," Zhao Xing added.

"Very well," Dong He nodded, "That will make things more efficient."

Returning from Flame Mountain to Dongshang City, Chen Shijie asked, "I heard you're not getting along well with Dong He?"

"Word travels fast," Zhao Xing said, surprised. He had only just returned.

"You told Wang Ji to go receive punishment from Han Bing? Han Bing isn't even responsible for that."

"It left Han Bing confused, and She brought Wang Ji to find me," Chen Shijie chuckled. "I quickly pieced together what happened."

"He's a bit condescending," Zhao Xing said. "Wang Ji got so fed up that he loaded a fifth-rank shoulder crossbow to get him to shut up and listen to me."

"Was I really going to punish Wang Ji? No, of course not. I just said it to smooth things over. By the way, where is he now?"

"Wang Ji's a stubborn one. He actually went to the judicial officer and received twenty lashes with the army rod," Chen Shijie replied. "Han Bing is tending to his wounds right now."

Zhao Xing was left speechless. Mechanical masters truly couldn't tolerate imperfection, and Wang Ji was no exception.

"Ah, a bunch of stubborn guys."

"Where are you off to?"

"To get the military doctor to heal his wounds. I need him back to work."

The Earth Fire Lotus seeds had been stolen on August 24th.

The volcano was activated on August 28th.

By September 1st, the Earth Fire Lotus had grown to a total of 150,000 plants.

From September 1st onward, Zhao Xing and Dong He had each led a group of Shennong to cultivate the fifth-rank Earth Fire Lotus.

One worked from the south of the volcano, the other from the north.

True to his word, Zhao Xing assigned most of the elite forces from the Zhenhai Army, Shenwei Army, and Xuanjia Army to assist Dong He.

The precious materials prepared for cultivation were also largely allocated to Dong He.

Many people assumed that Dong He was in charge of the Earth Fire Lotus cultivation effort.

Chen Shijie and Xia Jing even came by to confirm this, relieved to see that Zhao Xing wasn't holding a grudge, simply using fewer auxiliary methods than Dong He.

Dongshang Volcano, South.

Zhao Xing soared on clouds, coming to hover over a lava lake.

"It's Zhao Xing!" He Yu, spotting him from below, shouted excitedly, "He's here."

"Why are you so worked up?" someone asked in confusion.

"He's going to cast a high-level spell! How can I not be excited?" He Yu exclaimed.

"You don't understand. I've had quite the bond with Zhao Xing. Back when we were at the sub-academy exams, Zhao Xing and I were in the same team at Yunyu Pass," He Yu boasted.

"Why don't you mention how he tricked you at the Ten Thousand Li Thunder Pool?" Ouyang Song chuckled. "That's fate too, isn't it?"

"..."

He Yu glared at Ouyang Song, remembering how he nearly died of thirst on the Earth Fire Plain.

Zhao Xing looked down and called out in a voice carried by the wind, "Everyone, return to your positions. On my signal, activate the Earth Return-to-Origin Array!"

Wang Ji immediately issued the command, and the mechanics team sprang into action.

Boom, boom, boom, boom!

One by one, formation bases hovering five meters in the air crashed to the ground.

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

Below, five hundred Shennong, all eighth-rank or higher, with the strongest being at the seventh-rank, stood in their assigned positions.

The lava lake had already been set up with numerous formations, the largest of which was the classic Dili technique, the Earth Return-to-Origin Array.

Wang Ji led fifty men as the core team, controlling the array, while the other five hundred Shennong stood at various positions to supply energy and relieve some of the pressure from Zhao Xing.

In this area alone, there were more than ten thousand fourth-rank Earth Fire Lotus.

Casting individual spells on each plant would not only be slow but would also consume a vast amount of Zhao Xing's energy.

Thus, large-scale planting support formations were a necessity.

The current formations were merely rudimentary in comparison.

Back in Gucheng, Cao Xi had set up a return-to-origin waterwheel and constructed thirteen canals for the Pinghuai River, with the channels serving as the foundation of the formations.

Those formations encompassed the entire Gucheng, even cultivating the Eastern Lake Spirit Mountain.

That range was far larger than the current one.

"Group one, in position!"

"Group two, in position!"

"Group three, in position!"

...

"Group ten, in position!"

The reports came in from all over. Ouyang Song and He Yu, the group leaders of the Shennong teams, were equally filled with excitement, shouting their reports with fervor.

Though they were only at the eighth-rank, they were thrilled to participate in a large-scale high-level spellcasting effort.

Success depended entirely on Zhao Xing!

Once everyone was in place, Ouyang Song, He Yu, Han Bing, Wang Ji... hundreds of eager eyes turned skyward, fixed on Zhao Xing.

"Begin!"

At Zhao Xing's command, the Earth Return-to-Origin Array began to operate, with the energy of five hundred Shennong pouring into the ground.

Zhao Xing felt the Earth Fire Lotus pond below surging with energy.

The Earth Fire Lotus now had the perfect conditions for growth.

Raising his hand, Zhao Xing summoned a Seasonal Qi Command Token from his dantian, which shot into the sky.

The weather changed suddenly.

It was as if a brilliant sun had risen from Zhao Xing's body, and the atmosphere around him became stifling and hot.

The Seasonal Qi Command: Start of Summer!

Buzz!

The command token flew high, breaking through the Gale Layer and stopping at two thousand meters.

At the fourth transformation, the Seasonal Qi Command Token could reach up to four thousand meters. However, for maximum efficiency, it was best left at two thousand meters.

Buzz!

Two more Seasonal Qi Command Tokens appeared, one stopping at eight hundred meters.

They represented Minor Heat and Major Heat.

The Earth Fire Lotus thrived in hot and humid conditions, so Zhao Xing created a thin layer of clouds.

Pitter-patter!

A light rain fell, landing on the lava lake below.

With that, the weather conditions had reached their peak.

On a floating ship to the south, Chen Shijie watched Zhao Xing as he cast his spell.

He did not participate in the fourth-rank cultivation efforts, as his Nine-Section Camp was preparing to cultivate the fifth-rank Earth Fire Lotus.

"Who would've thought that the boy I casually brought back from Gucheng back then would grow to such strength," Chen Shijie mused, recalling his first encounter with Zhao Xing during the Minor Heat assessment.

At that time, Zhao Xing had struggled to deal with a mere 'Grain Bird Plague' assessment, relying only on Reviving Straw Puppets for assistance.

Back then, he had even fought over dried straw with other officials.

Yet, in just a few short years, he was now reshaping the climate and leading the cultivation of fifth-rank Earth Fire Lotus in the harsh southern wilderness.

"Start of Summer empowers Minor Heat, which merges into Major Heat."

"The Seasonal Qi Command Tokens merge, unleashing the full power of the Three-Volt Energy."

Chen Shijie couldn't help but feel emotional.

Xia Jing and Guan Junyang were also on the ship. Instead of watching Dong He's efforts, they had come to support Zhao Xing.

"Amazing," Guan Junyang marveled, "His mastery of seasonal techniques has evolved far beyond what it was during the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven. I'd say even Shi Yong pales in comparison now."

Shi Yong had once been the top talent of the Seasonal Qi Academy, but now Guan Junyang felt that Zhao Xing had surpassed him.

Self School techniques didn't normally require such perfect timing or geographical advantage.

But the Earth Fire Lotus was a special case.

It wasn't particularly delicate, as it could grow in magma.

Yet it wasn't resilient either—if conditions were slightly off, it would simply die.

Especially for large-scale cultivation, Zhao Xing had to go all out.

"Primordial Instant!"

Zhao Xing waved his hand, and specks of starlight appeared, falling into the lotus pond.

All five hundred Shennong who had learned the Five Elements Observation technique widened their eyes, eager to witness the spectacle.

In their enhanced vision, it looked as though a meteor shower was falling.

Countless shooting stars descended into the lotus pond.

Most could only see the surface. Once the stars entered the Earth Fire Lotus, only a few could perceive the deeper effects.

Only the few who had cultivated the Yin-Yang Self Technique or those like Chen Shijie, a sixth-rank Shennong, could see what was happening.

"The techniques of Self School are truly profound," Chen Shijie muttered, watching for a moment before giving up on understanding it.

High-level techniques of the Self School were notoriously difficult to master, and even with several fifth-rank instruction scrolls, one might not be able to grasp them.

It was widely known that the Self School had a steep learning curve, with its techniques typically being studied from the fifth-rank upward.

Out of the millions of Shennong across the five major Cave-Heavens, only thirty to fifty seventh-rank Shennong had mastered high-level Self School techniques.

Even counting the sixth-rank Shennong, the number wouldn't exceed two hundred.

As Chen Shijie and Guan Junyang observed, the mature fourth-rank Earth Fire Lotus in the pond began to grow again.

Only true experts could see the intricacies at play, but everyone could tell that the fourth-rank Earth Fire Lotus was breaking through its growth limits and evolving into the fifth-rank.

After one incense stick's worth of time, fifty fifth-rank Earth Fire Lotus had sprouted, bearing fifth-rank lotus seeds.

But at that moment, Zhao Xing sensed a decline in energy.

Many of the lotus plants were beginning to wither, as the pond couldn't sustain too many at once.

"Rise!"

Wang Ji acted quickly, leading the mechanics team to activate the second formation base.

Thousands of black pillars emerged from the ground—the foundation they had placed earlier.

Wang Ji was operating both Earth Fire and Earth Essence guide formations.

The principle was similar to a water pump used by commoners to draw water from a well, except this array was drawing energy from the earth's veins.

As Wang Ji worked, Zhao Xing felt a fresh surge of energy flowing into him, and the number of withering lotus flowers decreased as more fifth-rank plants emerged.

After a brief rest, Zhao Xing resumed casting his spell.

And so the process continued.

After the fourth incense stick burned out, the number of fifth-rank Earth Fire Lotus had surpassed five hundred!

Fiery red lotus flowers bloomed, their centers glowing like flames. Amid the flames, a deep red crystal shimmered faintly.

These were the fifth-rank lotus seeds.

"We did it! We did it!" Guan Junyang clenched his fists in excitement. "With fifth-rank Earth Fire Lotus, their leaves can be used to craft fireproof garments."

"These lotus seeds will also grow into fifth-rank plants. Once we propagate them, the Earth Fire Lotus will multiply exponentially."

"It's not that simple," Chen Shijie cautioned. "Usually, after three rounds of propagation, the plants will decrease in rank. The Earth Fire Lotus is particularly delicate. With careful cultivation, it can only be propagated twice before it drops in rank."

Plant life tends to weaken with each generation. In ancient times, giant trees were everywhere, but now they were rare.

"Even so, it won't take long before we can outfit the entire army with fifth-rank fireproof garments," Xia Jing rubbed his hands together, filled with anticipation.

"Master Chen, there's nothing wrong on Zhao Xing's side, so I'm off to check on Dong He."

"Please, go ahead," Chen Shijie nodded.

Xia Jing, excited, flew over to the north side of the volcano, where Dong He was also casting his spell.

However, Dong He was using the Reinforcement Technique, a completely different method from Zhao Xing.

Wearing a fifth-rank premium fireproof robe, Dong He floated in the lava river.

Many Earth Fire Lotus surrounded him, swirling around in a vortex as Dong He worked his spell.

As the lotus flowers orbited Dong He, smaller whirlpools formed beneath them.

Tremendous amounts of energy were being drawn into the fourth-rank lotus plants. As Dong He inhaled and exhaled, it seemed as though the entire pond was breathing with him.

Xia Jing lowered his ship and discreetly asked Dong He's aide, Jin Ming, "Master Jin, how many have sprouted?"

Jin Ming, a seventh-rank Shennong himself, puffed out his chest. "Master Dong has already cultivated one hundred fifth-rank Earth Fire Lotus!"

Xia Jing nodded, smiling. That wasn't a bad pace.

Seeing Xia Jing smile but not offer any praise, Jin Ming added, "What about your brother's progress?"

"Not to pry, but we didn't come here to coddle the Shenwei Army. If they can't keep up, we're only slowing down the Xuanjia Army."

"I'd advise you to rely more on your own men."

The implication was clear—Jin Ming thought Xia Jing was putting too much trust in outsiders like Zhao Xing and should focus more on their own Shennong team.

Xia Jing flashed a bright smile, holding up his hand. "My brother didn't grow that many. Just five hundred plants."

"That's still decent," Jin Ming nodded, then froze. "Wait, what? How many did you say?"