Two Arts as One, Divine Swift Guard, from Xier County

Express Delivery (Midnight)

Great Granary Institute.

The reporting had already ended, but Lu Bang and Zuo Zizhi were still busy, as they still had to preside over the next branch test.

Both Lu Bang and his companion were engaged in military affairs and took their missions very seriously, so they would occasionally observe the various treasure sites to see how the new recruits were progressing in their studies.

They might even modify or adjust the branch gates based on these circumstances.

"The Myriad Forms Underground Palace has appeared again." Zuo Zizhi looked helplessly at the situation of the Seventy-Two Earth Palaces treasure lands. "The Martial Marquis is old, but he still has the heart of a child. He's here to tease these new recruits again."

Lu Bang glanced at the elusive Earth Palace and couldn't help but chuckle, "It's already quite remarkable that the old man even came to the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven. If other military commanders knew, they would be more than happy to let him go and have some fun."

Zuo Zizhi, "That's true. He is the honorary vice president of the Earth Lake Dao Academy, a veteran Martial Marquis who became famous three hundred years ago, and a Third Grade expert. Others would beg for him... It was only because the military invited him that the commanders of these nine garrison troops went to beg him, and that he agreed to come to Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven for a visit."

"I've been here for three years, and this Myriad Forms Underground Palace has only appeared a few times during the early stages of recruit training," Lu Bang said. "You know what, I'd love to go and study it myself, but I'm not allowed to."

"Yes, even those above the Eighth Grade don't show up at the Myriad Forms Underground Palace." Zuo Zizhi said helplessly, "You know, he lives in the Myriad Forms Courtyard. It's been so long, and no one has been able to knock on his door. So many people have bothered him, and he even directly ordered that no one should approach. It's really strange."

"The older you get, the more you resemble a child," Lu Bang said. "Old people acting like children, who knows how strange we'll be when we're seven or eight hundred years old."

"Seven or eight hundred years old?" Zuo Zizhi shook his head. "I don't expect to live that long. I'd be content if I lived to be five hundred."

The two chatted and didn't take the scene of the Myriad Forms Underground Palace seriously.

However, a few days later, the Myriad Forms Underground Palace still existed, and its appearances became more and more frequent, which surprised Lu Bang and Zuo Zizhi.

"Hmm? It's those two little guys from the Divine Might Army, Zhao Xing and Han Bing?"

"Is the Myriad Forms Underground Palace reserved for the two of them?"

"Look, Zhao Xing closed his eyes, and he smiled?"

"Has he figured out the key?"

[After several days of meditation before the Myriad Forms Underground Palace, you have mastered the mid-level spell 'Divine Swift Guard' (Special).]

[Divine Swift Guard: Intermediate Spell]

[Progress: Fourth-Turn (4253/18000)]

[Effect: This technique combines the Divine Swift Earth Palace Art with the Mystic Earth Guard Art. After casting, a Jiao Palace immediately forms centered on the caster. It can also cause the Earth Palace to sink into the ground, allowing the caster to Earth Vein Submergence. The Fourth-Turn Divine Swift Guard allows the caster to travel stealthily through the four types of Earth Vein: earth, metal, wind, and thunder.]

"It's actually a Myriad Forms Underground Palace. No wonder it's so difficult." Zhao Xing opened his eyes.

Once he grasped the method, he immediately understood.

The Myriad Forms Underground Palace is somewhat similar to the Myriad Laws Spiritual Elegance and the Ten Thousand Arts Cloud Chart.

However, this technique is more Gao Ming than the Ten Thousand Arts Cloud Chart.

Of course, it cannot be called a true myriad of methods; in reality, it only includes the Earth Palace Art and the Mystic Earth Art.

If it is a true Ten Thousand Arts Earth Palace, it combines four major categories: Earth Treasury, Earth Palace, Earth Split, and Mystic Earth, and encompasses everything.

This one clearly doesn't reach that level yet.

"The Myriad Forms Underground Palace is already very powerful. It combines two techniques into one, with Divine Movement and Earth Palace Art combined. This must have been created by at least a Third Grade expert," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Having mastered the Divine Swift Guard, Zhao Xing had essentially mastered both the Divine Swift Earth Palace Art and the Mystic Earth Guard Art.

Because combining two methods makes it more difficult, these kinds of spells are very special.

Its potential is much higher than that of ordinary mid-level spells.

"With the spell's eighteen transformations, you could say I've learned a technique comparable to a high-level one."

"This type of spell is even rarer than high-level spells."

Why is it so rare?

If you put the Divine Swift Guard and another high-level technique together, you can take them to the Li Fire Dao Academy to take the exam for an honorary title.

It's certain that the Divine Swift Guard was chosen.

Because the learning threshold for both is lower, the Divine Swift Guard has a lower threshold, but the power is the same.

The Divine Swift Guard can be gradually mastered from a low threshold, progressing from one to ten.

However, the difficulty of comprehending high-level spells is directly ten.

"With this Octagonal Underground Palace, my safety while stealthily moving through the Earth Vein has been greatly enhanced," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

He remembered the person who had previously lurked underground in the vast Thunder Zone.

If that person is walking a tightrope, then I am riding a cable car.

Imagine the two are fighting and chasing each other while lurking underground.

I'm faster, so if we fight, my Divine Swift Guard will strike and the opponent will perish.

"This trip was definitely worthwhile."

Zhao Xing smiled, his anxiety of the past few days turning into joy.

Although eight Heavenly Timing were wasted, I managed to comprehend the Divine Swift Guard, which combines two methods, from the Myriad Forms Underground Palace. Moreover, I reached the Fourth-Turn immediately upon comprehension, making it absolutely worthwhile.

"I wonder who the owner of this Myriad Forms Underground Palace is."

Such a powerful person must be famous.

However, he didn't think much of it.

"Han Bing is still trying to understand." Zhao Xing watched Han Bing's retreating figure, still engrossed in his pursuit. "Hopefully, he can figure out what he's looking for."

Without disturbing anyone, Zhao Xing quietly left.

Lesser Nine Heavens Astral Wind Third-Turn, Rolling Ground Thunder Fourth-Turn, Divine Swift Guard Fourth-Turn.

Zhao Xing's basic training has achieved the expected results.

After returning home and having a big meal, he rushed off to another place to meditate and begin advanced training.

"There are fifteen Heavenly Timing left."

"I will strive to break through to the Seventh-Turn in one of the three new spells I have learned."

"Once you break through to the Seventh-Turn, you'll have completed the advanced training and achieved your goal."

"If there are two, that would be a pleasant surprise."

"It's unlikely that all three gates will be at least at the Seventh-Turn."

Comprehension should be approached gradually, and Zhao Xing did not set too high a bar for himself.

Sometimes being too impatient can actually prevent you from achieving the desired results.

"To increase the power of spells, one aspect is to comprehend individual spells, and another aspect is to cultivate the Solar Terms Decree, the Houtu Return to Origin, and the Yin Yang True Self Scripture."

The Solar Terms Decree, the Houtu Return to Origin, are also ways to understand the Dharma.

The Solar Terms Diagram can create more favorable Heavenly Timing for spells. Houtu Return to Origin also changes the Earthly Advantage Institute, which is equivalent to giving spells an extra layer of enhancement.

As for the Yin Yang True Self Scripture, it is about cultivating oneself and the "Inner Five Elements," which Zhao Xing plans to study after the branch school ends.

The sixteenth day, Rat Hour.

Zhao Xing arrived at the Mystic Earth Prison in the Earthly Advantage Institute.

This prison holds many strange beasts from the subterranean world.

Each one was incredibly powerful, making people tremble with fear just looking at them.

These strange beasts living underground possess innate abilities similar to Earthly Advantage Spells.

Many Human Race spells were even created by observing these strange beasts.

At this moment, Zhao Xing was standing outside a huge cell that was more than ten meters high, watching a beast with many arthropods go berserk inside.

"The Five-Colored Centipede prefers damp, dark swamps. It is extremely venomous and adept at hiding. Its tentacles move like the wind and are very powerful."

"It is considered a rather ferocious beast underground, with a lifespan of up to a thousand years and the ability to grow to the Fifth Grade."

"Its innate method can influence and distort the Earth Vein. Even the hardest rocks become soft in its presence. Its innate method utilizes the earth, water, and metal elements of the Earth Vein without being noticed."

Zhao Xing watched quietly, his observations reflecting on the Divine Swift Guard he had learned.

The Five-Colored Centipede and the Azure Water Centipede a male and a female, respectively.

The Five-Colored Centipede went berserk at this moment because there was a Mirage Pearl next to it, which preserved the scene of the Azure Water Centipede being killed.

[You observed the Five-Colored Centipede using its innate technique and gained some insight; the progress of the Divine Swift Guard spell has increased by 25.]

[You observed the Five-Colored Centipede using its innate technique and gained some insight; the progress of the Divine Swift Guard spell has increased by 55.]

[You observed the Five-Colored Centipede using its innate technique and gained some insight; the progress of the Divine Swift Guard spell has increased by 35.]

Half an hour later, the Five-Colored Centipede calmed down.

We can't let it keep going crazy; we have to reuse it.

After about half an hour of this, it should be done.

Zhao Xing walked toward the next prison cell.

Day 20.

Zhao Xing left the Mystic Earth Prison.

[Divine Swift Guard: Intermediate Spell]

[Progress: Sixth-Turn (6005/18000)]

"Heavenly Timing have yielded considerable results. Although I've only advanced two ranks, this spell combines two techniques."

"It may seem like I've only improved by two levels, but actually my Swift Travel Earth Palace and Mystic Earth Guard have both improved by two levels, and even the Boundless Earth Palace is almost at Nine Turns."

Combining the two methods naturally results in different levels of power, and also allows for a more thorough understanding of the mysteries of magic.

"Go to the Earth Vein Hall."

Zhao Xing flew eastward.

"The Earth Vein Hall contains nineteen Earth Vein Maps, which depict tens of thousands of Earth Vein across the Nineteen Provinces."

"Understanding it is like viewing a Preaching Painting that can be viewed an infinite number of times."

"Whether I can break through to the Seventh-Turn depends on this."

If you had to choose one spell to break through to the Seventh-Turn, then Divine Swift Guard would naturally be more worthwhile.

It combines offense, defense, and speed, and its spell power is also greater than that of normal mid-level spells.

Just as Zhao Xing was heading to the Earth Vein Hall.

Sudden--

The Earth Mirror trembled.

"Um?"

Zhao Xing took out the Earth Mirror with a puzzled look.

[Fan Zhaoli, the Agrarian Commandant, determined the Heavenly Timing, altered the Heavenly Timing, and transformed wasteland into treasure. Over two years, he transformed the area of Inverted Peak Mountain in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, spanning three hundred li, into a treasure land.]

[From this day forward, Inverted Peak Mountain will reliably produce eight types of fourth-tier fruits and one fifth-tier native treasure, the 'Heavenly Serpent Fruit'. Therefore Fan Zhaoli is awarded 1 billion points as a reward for his service! This announcement is hereby issued to congratulate Captain Fan Zhaoli!]

[A new Tier 5 treasure, the "Heavenly Serpent Fruit," has been added to the Arsenal, priced at 400,000 points each.]

"What? Someone has transformed this treasure land, and the reward is 1 billion points?" Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow.

"Able to reliably produce fifth-tier native treasures, Heavenly Serpent Fruit?"

"The Heavenly Timing and the Earth Vein within a radius of three hundred miles have been transformed; it's truly remarkable."

Zhao Xing knew how difficult it was to turn wasteland into treasure.

Destruction is easy, but transformation is difficult.

Without a doubt, this is a protracted battle.

"Two years, 1 billion points. I estimate that these 1 billion points don't belong to Fan Zhaoli alone, but to a team," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Each time a treasure is upgraded to First Tier, its value increases by one level.

Fourth-tier treasures, which can be mass-produced, usually number no more than ten thousand.

If mass production is not possible, the price will definitely exceed 10,000 yuan, and some may even reach tens of thousands of yuan.

Fifth-tier treasures, those that can be mass-produced generally number in the tens of thousands, while those that cannot be mass-produced may have an upper limit of several hundred thousand.

The Heavenly Serpent Fruit is a treasure from its place of origin, meaning it can only be produced in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven.

At the beginning, before it was fully in mass production, it was normal for a single piece to cost four or five hundred thousand.

Once mass production begins, the price will come down.

The achievement of achieving mass production is a great accomplishment, but the reward of 1 billion points is really not much.

"If all these points belonged to Fan Zhaoli, the military would probably promote him. At the very least, he'd be promoted to a lower rank."

Zhao Xing put away the Earth Mirror and continued walking towards the Earth Vein Hall.

It's too early for him to worry about those things right now. The most important thing right now is to prepare for the month-long placement test.

Day 24.

Earth Vein Hall.

Zhao Xing sat cross-legged in front of a mural.

At this time, many people were sitting and contemplating in this wide gallery of murals.

Anyone who cultivates Earthly Advantage Faction techniques and comprehends the various Earth Vein flows in these Nineteen Provinces can gain some understanding.

[Divine Swift Guard: Intermediate Spell]

[Progress: Sixth-Turn (6995/18000)]

"I have indeed made a lot of progress in comprehending this mural of the Earth Vein. In Heavenly Timing, my progress has increased by 990 points."

"However, I have been meditating here for four days now."

"But the Divine Swift Guard still hasn't broken through to the Seventh-Turn."

"The progress bar is only five points away, are those last five points really that hard?"

Although coming to the Earth Vein Hall to study the murals was not without its rewards.

The progress also increased from 6005 to 6995.

But that was the harvest from the first three days.

I haven't gained anything all day.

"Free things are never good."

Zhao Xing shook his head.

It doesn't resemble Preaching Painting at all; the effect is astonishing.

The free resources on display are indeed helpful to the new recruits, but there is a limit to how much of this free opportunity can be used.

It is extremely difficult to break through to the Seventh-Turn of a spell that combines two techniques in a short period of time.

"I only have a little over a thousand points, and I can't even buy a fourth-tier painting in the Arsenal."

Zhao Xing was browsing the Earth Mirror.

Only Preaching Painting, at least of the fourth-grade superior quality, could possibly have an effect on him now.

Each of these fourth-tier superior-grade Preaching Painting costs three thousand points!

This is still a discount, after all, it's cheaper in the military than outside.

The items that Lu Qian and Zong Shichang bought back then cost more than three thousand taels of silver, and Lu Qian's Myriad Ten Thousand Arts Cloud Chart cost more than six thousand taels of silver.

"For the Divine Swift Guard to break through, I need at least two kinds of Preaching Painting: the Swift Travel Earth Palace and the Mystic Earth Guard. In other words, I need at least six thousand points."

"I can't get any missions right now, where am I going to get points? Maybe I should find someone to gamble with?"

A duel is a competition where you find someone to spar with, using points as stakes.

Now, more than twenty days have passed, and many people are taking this opportunity to earn points from others.

However, after thinking about it, Zhao Xing dismissed the idea.

"Everyone is broke. New recruits only have 100 points. In the past twenty days, they've probably used them all up. There's no point in gambling ten or twenty points."

"Those with thousands of points may not necessarily win the bet."

"Long Xiao and Old Chen, why haven't you delivered my goods yet? It's been so long."

The Blood Spirit Needle and Blood Fiend Pearl that Zhao Xing obtained were both fourth-tier treasures, which he gave to Long Xiao and Old Chen.

Ten days ago, he received a letter from Old Chen saying that he would send some things over.

I don't know why, but it hasn't been delivered yet.

"Something must have been holding him up."

"Forget it, it's only five points away from breaking through. I don't necessarily need points to make the breakthrough."

Zhao Xing continued to look at the mural.

Time passed, and Zhao Xing stayed in the Earth Vein Hall for another four days.

His eyes never left the mural.

Before him were the seven main Earth Vein of Pinghai Province, which corresponded to the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, and thunder.

Each Earth Vein is very stable and flows quite slowly; it is almost imperceptible unless you look closely.

"How difficult it is to shake the Earth Vein in an entire state."

"The Boundless Earth Palace and the Swift Travel Earth Palace can crush some small Earth Vein in certain places, but the Earth Vein the Nineteen Provinces are so powerful that even Fifth Grade- grade ley line would have difficulty shaking them, let alone Ninth Grade one."

"Powerful, incredibly stable, all-encompassing, and nurturing all life."

Zhao Xing watched quietly.

Unconsciously, he used his Discern Minute Details to try and see things more clearly.

At one moment, a shooting star suddenly streaked across his field of vision.

The massive and stable Earth Vein suddenly accelerated in flow, and Zhao Xing was able to see the second layer.

"I see."

Zhao Xing smiled, got up, and walked out of the Earth Vein Hall.

[Divine Swift Guard: Intermediate Spell]

[Progress: Seventh-Turn (7001/18000)]

On the twenty-eighth day, his Divine Swift Guard successfully broke through to the Seventh-Turn.

"With only two days left before the branch school opens, successfully training the Divine Swift Guard to the Seventh-Turn level is already considered a completion of the advanced training plan."

Zhao Xing was quite satisfied with the result.

Rolling Ground Thunder and Lesser Nine Heavens Astral Wind, although only at the level of three or four turns, are not too bad.

Want to master all spells? Turn a genius into an all-rounder? That requires a huge accumulation of time and resources.

"Buzz~"

Just then, the Earth Mirror in his arms trembled.

Zhao Xing flipped his hand and took out the Earth Mirror, only to find that it was Long Xiao contacting him.

"Has he arrived at the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven?"

The Earth Mirror can only be contacted within the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven; Long Xiao and Old Chen previously communicated by letter.

Now, through the Earth Mirror, it's as if the person has personally arrived.

"Zhao Xing, where are you? I've brought your delivery!"

Finally finished writing! Actually, I finished one chapter this afternoon, but I wanted everyone to read it all at once, so I posted it all at once, which resulted in it being 11 PM... I'll try to update earlier tomorrow! I'll try not to stay up this late! Thanks for your understanding, everyone!