A Hundred Years in Seclusion, Zuo Qiyu's Test

The 157th year after entering the Primordial Beginning Realm.

Within Locust Willow Courtyard, inside the dueling arena.

Boom! Boom!

Bage Er, a martial practitioner of the Yin Yang Dao Domain Realm, extended four arms, each gripping a weapon, as he battled three bronze-colored giants.

The giants wore nothing on their upper bodies, only grass garments woven from green leaves.

Bage Er wielded three different weapons, constantly evading the attacks of the three giants. He was extremely agile, and the giants could scarcely touch him. Yet Bage Er remained very cautious and had not gone all out.

Because he knew that against three Giant Yang Straw Men—ones that knew the Great Divine Power Five Finger Mountain and could unleash the Treasure Mountain Divine Power—he had only one chance to strike.

After sparring for several thousand exchanges, Bage Er finally could not hold back. His body swelled massively, and four more arms grew from it.

Like a beast transforming, he instantly charged at the Giant Yang Straw Men.

But at that moment, the three Giant Yang Straw Men vanished, shrinking to no larger than grains of rice.

"What? Void Ancestor divine power, Rice Grain Chaos Heaven Art?" Bage Er froze for a moment, then abruptly felt tiny stings in his abdomen, the crooks of his legs, and his palms.

Bang!

Though the Eight Arms Divine Power still instantly shattered them, Bage Er staggered as if about to kneel, and a bloody mark appeared on his body.

The battle ended. The Giant Yang Straw Men burst apart and turned to ash.

"My lord, when did you learn the Rice Grain Chaos Heaven Art? Isn't that something only martial practitioners can learn?" Bage Er asked.

"I just learned it." A wisp of consciousness gathered from the straw man's ashes, spiraling like a gust of wind as it drifted away. "Bage Er, hard work. Let's end today's sparring here."

"Yes, my lord." Bage Er could only refrain from asking more.

"That's truly outrageous." Xinda approached Bage Er as he stepped down from the arena. "My lord forced out your Eight Arms Divine Power with merely three clones."

The Eight Arms Divine Power was a bodily divine power for martial practitioners. Every additional arm meant one additional divine power, and their might stacked together.

The first two levels of the Eight Arms Divine Power were at the Minor Mystic Power level. Only when all eight arms were gathered did it count as a great divine power.

Normally, martial practitioners could only excavate the fourth arm of their bodily potential and could go no further. But after reaching the Yin Yang Dao Domain Realm, Bage Er had excavated his body's treasure trove all the way to the eighth arm.

It was precisely through this divine power that Bage Er had been able to enter the Primordial Beginning Realm as a sparring partner.

Although he had defeated Zhao Xing's Giant Yang Clone, Bage Er was a genuine martial practitioner, while Zhao Xing was a Minister of Agriculture. Yet Zhao Xing's straw men could actually use the Great Divine Power Five Finger Mountain and the Rice Grain Chaos Heaven Art. It was simply astonishing.

"Xinda, I've cultivated for so many years, yet I never knew a Minister of Agriculture's Straw Man Art could use a martial practitioner's great divine powers. Then what does that make me?" Bage Er began to doubt his life.

Xinda hesitated. "It... it makes you trash?"

"Thank you. You didn't have to answer."

"Mm."

In the Hundred-Ren Void, Zhao Xing recalled the straw man's soul consciousness while also absorbing today's "battle experience."

"2"

"Bage Er and Xinda still have limited knowledge. They've seen Straw Man Arts, but they haven't seen a Void Ancestor Straw Man Art like mine."

The Giant Yang Straw Man Art belonged to the Void Ancestor Straw Man Art series.

Ordinary Straw Man Arts could generally only accommodate spells and could not accommodate secret arts and divine powers from the martial practitioner path.

But the Void Ancestor series of Straw Man Arts was different. It could encompass and accommodate all things.

After the Great Zhou disaster, Zhao Xing had entered a frenzy of cultivation. Nearly a hundred years had now passed.

His greatest achievement was that the Giant Yang Straw Man Art had reached Minor Mystic Power perfection, and he had begun fusing spells and divine powers.

"At its core, the Giant Yang Straw Man is a spell. Using materials from the Xu Zu Star System, it has accommodated two great divine powers."

"Aside from the Mountain Method Divine Power, the other is the Rice Grain Chaos Heaven Art."

Zhao Xing was extremely familiar with the Mountain Method Divine Power and had practiced it for a long time.

As for the Rice Grain Chaos Heaven Art, it was itself one of the Void Ancestor divine powers. When he had explored the scholars' Dao Repository, You Yitian, the Mystic Power Realm Qi Sect Martial Practitioner under Du Yun, had once displayed it.

"When the Giant Yang Straw Man Art reaches divine power perfection, it can undergo Dao fusion. But fusing two great divine powers is already the limit."

"It isn't because my talent or comprehension is lacking. Rather, the Giant Yang Straw Man Art itself is no longer suitable as the foundation for Dao fusion," Zhao Xing thought.

If the Giant Yang Straw Man Art was regarded as the foundation and Dao fusion as building a house, then the first floor was the Mountain Method Divine Power, while the second floor was the Rice Grain Chaos Heaven Art.

The weight of two great divine powers had already reached the limit that the Giant Yang Straw Man Art could bear. If he fused anything further, it would certainly crush the foundation.

The Giant Yang Straw Man Art itself would cease to hold together.

"This series of Straw Man Arts must be replaced, and only Zuo Qiyu can teach that series."

"Primordial Beginning Envoy Zuo Qiyu... how should I learn his techniques?" Zhao Xing pondered. "His personal unique arts aren't listed in the treasury exchange catalog."

The Red Star Empire would not force anyone to selflessly contribute their secret arts. Those willing to do so naturally received benefits, while those unwilling would not be compelled.

Learning many unique arts required the right chance and circumstances. For example, Wu Tian sold the Treasure Mountain Divine Power but had never sold Five Finger Mountain.

Zuo Qiyu's Primordial Beginning Straw Man Technique was an untransmitted unique art.

Perhaps he would only consider passing it on when his true spirit neared its limit.

"For now, I won't count on Zuo Qiyu's clone technique, the Great Beginning Clone. Even if I learned it, I don't have materials of the Primordial Beginning series. Those are nonrenewable resources, as rare as top-tier Reincarnation Dao Soldiers."

"But I need to find a way to pry one of the advanced Tai Xu, Primordial Beginning, and Nirvana series of Straw Man Arts from him."

"Otherwise, my Giant Yang Clone cannot advance and will remain forever at the Minor Mystic Power Realm."

"Winning over Zuo Qiyu will be difficult." Zhao Xing sighed. "It's been nearly a hundred years, and I haven't even seen him."

In Zhao Xing's memories of his previous life, Zuo Qiyu had never accepted disciples.

His sudden intention to take Zhao Xing as a disciple in this life had already been an accident. After Guluo He intervened, Zuo Qiyu ultimately did not take a disciple, though the Five Poisons Emperor Lord took two.

"The reason Zuo Qiyu doesn't take disciples is that he was once betrayed by one. I'll settle for the next best thing. If I don't become his disciple and merely learn his art, would that work?"

In the Three Thousand Dao Seeds region, Zhao Xing's other clone was comprehending the Sun Treasure Tree.

"The Stem Fighting Divine Power has already reached divine power perfection. Now, for this four-series Variant Method, I only lack a thorough comprehension of the beginner life structure diagram for the tree type."

Mushrooms, vines, tree roots, and bamboo roots—the four Variant Method series each had three beginner life structure diagrams.

Although they were called beginner diagrams, once thoroughly comprehended, one could grasp the embryonic form of the Life Great Dao and cultivate the Stem Fighting Divine Power into the Stem Fighting Great Divine Power Realm.

"The clone's comprehension has reached a bottleneck. It depends on whether the main body can transmit any new insights."

The clone closed its eyes once more.

Different clones cultivated and comprehended in different places, and their insights would be transmitted at certain points in time.

Within Guluo He's Inner World, Zhao Xing sat quietly before that Emperor-level vine.

There were also two Resilient Vines beside Zhao Xing, but they were merely ordinary seedlings.

One flourished, crawling all over the grassland and wholly clinging to the earth.

The other was far weaker, yet it struggled to stretch upward and stood stubbornly upright.

The grassland around them was withered on the left and thriving on the right.

Then, upon reaching a certain point, the conditions on both sides suddenly reversed.

The right side became withered, while the left side flourished.

But Zhao Xing turned a blind eye to it all. His gaze remained fixed solely upon that Emperor-level vine.

"For a hundred years, I have stayed here every day, observing this Emperor-level Resilient Vine."

"Guluo He prepared twelve cultivation sites for me, all founded on the Life Great Dao. The first cultivation ground was for comprehending this Resilient Vine."

"In truth, he wanted me to observe the operation and flow of the Life Great Dao within the Resilient Vine."

Zhao Xing stared at the Emperor-level vine. Its dim roots and stems faded away, and even its leaves seemed to become transparent.

"The Life Great Dao is filled with infinite possibilities. The growth limit of a Resilient Vine does not even reach the Source Origin Realm. Which law of the universe hinders its growth?"

"How did Guluo He enable this Resilient Vine to break through the limits of its growth laws?"

Gradually, the entire Emperor-level vine vanished from Zhao Xing's eyes. Its leaves, branches, roots, and stems all disappeared completely!

Only the manifestation of the laws within Guluo He's Inner World remained.

Countless laws intertwined, seemingly chaotic, yet faintly following some mysterious pattern.

Gradually, those chaotic strands of law gathered into a perfect carving knife.

A carving knife formed with the Life Great Dao as its foundation.

It was precisely this carving knife that had altered the Resilient Vine's life essence and broken the restrictions of its original growth laws.

Understanding dawned in Zhao Xing's heart. The surrounding grassland stopped changing, and he began to work on the Emperor-level Resilient Vine.

Guluo He was comprehending within the Dao Ancient Layer of the Hundred-Ren Void. Sensing a slight anomaly in his Inner World, he could not help opening his eyes.

"His Life Great Dao has taken its first step."

There were many Great Daos in the universe: the Five Elements Great Dao, the Yin Yang Great Dao... Yet what the True Self Faction revered most was naturally the Life Great Dao.

Zhao Xing had yet to show Guluo He any potential worth a second glance in other aspects. But after entering the Primordial Beginning Realm for 157 years, his comprehension of the Life Great Dao made Guluo He take a second look.

Because on that day, Zhao Xing used a spell to stir the internal vitality of the Resilient Vine for the first time.

Although it was merely like chiseling a grain of sand from a great mountain, he had stirred it nonetheless.

Thus, for the first time, Guluo He took the initiative to appear before Zhao Xing.

"Teacher."

Zhao Xing rose to his feet.

Guluo He did not acknowledge him as a student, but Zhao Xing had always addressed him as teacher. Though Guluo He had never responded even once, Lord Zhao was never lacking in such persistence.

He would keep calling him that. Perhaps one day, Guluo He would answer?

"Your clones cultivate techniques while your main body comprehends the Dao. You cultivate like an ascetic practitioner, almost abusing yourself. This is not a good thing." Guluo He immediately pointed out the problem.

"You rely too heavily on the Straw Man Art. Without a matching soul technique, you are forcibly suppressing everything through willpower alone. Sooner or later, problems will arise."

Zhao Xing listened quietly.

As expected of a demigod, Guluo He saw through the hidden danger in his cultivation at a glance.

Just as the Straw Man Art had drawbacks during the era of the Profound Yellow World, the universal version still had such issues.

The Straw Man Art always needed to be paired with a powerful soul art and a will divine power.

And the Three Gods Fate Palace, a Minor Mystic Power technique, was no longer enough to meet Zhao Xing's needs.

After all, the Giant Yang Straw Man Art alone had reached divine power perfection, while Zhao Xing constantly excavated his own potential and even used Straw Man Arts to cultivate great divine powers.

His ability to persist this long came purely from his solid foundation and astounding comprehension and potential.

"Teacher is right," Zhao Xing said respectfully. "I ask Teacher for guidance."

Guluo He shook his head. "No one surpasses Zuo Qiyu in attainments in the Straw Man Art. You should ask him."

Zhao Xing was about to seize the opening, but Guluo He interrupted him. "Since Zuo Qiyu's many Straw Man Arts do not appear in the treasury list, that proves they are not easily obtained. Whether publicly or privately, I will not ask him to teach you."

Guluo He once again made his position clear: he would not use his personal favor to make Zuo Qiyu teach Zhao Xing.

It was as expected, and Zhao Xing was not overly disappointed.

But then Guluo He continued.

"You may try going to his Great World City. In order to ward off the harassment of the many people seeking his arts, Zuo Qiyu left behind a trial in Great World City. He declared that anyone who passes it may choose one Straw Man Art to learn."

"Yes. This student will give it a try."

Zhao Xing cupped his hands, asked a few more questions about cultivation, and then left the Inner World.

Few people who did not understand Zuo Qiyu remembered this rule.

First, it was too harsh. No one could pass the test. At most, they could learn spells of roughly the same grade as those already in the treasury, which could be exchanged for points anyway. There was no need to suffer through such torment.

Second, it was too ancient and had gradually been forgotten.

As time passed, it faded from memory.

Whenever a Primordial World Assembly was held, the rule would briefly be recalled, only to be forgotten again afterward.

But this time, the situation was different.

Because so many people had reincarnated, there were numerous peerless geniuses. Everyone believed themselves extraordinary, one in hundreds of millions.

Thus, Zuo Qiyu's rule was quickly unearthed.

By the time Zhao Xing arrived at Great World City through the Thousand Star Vine, quite a few people had already stopped before the city gate.

"Mushroom King is here."

"Senior Gu's student?"

"Yes, Zhao Xing from the Beihe Star System."

Because of Guluo He, Zhao Xing was extremely famous. Among the Ministers of Agriculture of this generation, almost no one had not heard of him.

But Zhao Xing was a cultivation fanatic who almost never socialized, so the geniuses had only seen him from afar. Few took the initiative to greet him.

"Brother Zhao, over here." Han Chuchen waved from a pavilion outside the city.

Whoosh! Zhao Xing immediately descended.

"Brother Han."

After entering the pavilion, Zhao Xing found four others behind the curtains: Young Lotus Fairy, Yuan Qiusheng, Daoist Miaosong, and Han Chiba.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists."

Unlike Zhao Xing, who buried himself in hard cultivation, Han Chuchen had been a socially adept person in his previous life. This life was also his Calamity World, so he naturally made friends everywhere.

Of the four seated in the pavilion, Yuan Qiusheng ranked first among support-type Ministers of Agriculture, while the other three ranked in the top ten among combat-type Ministers of Agriculture.

His social skills were indeed impressive.

"Brother Zhao." The other four returned the greeting politely.

Young Lotus Fairy joked, "Mushroom King, you've been in seclusion for more than a hundred years. I wonder if you've gained anything new? When will you fight me again?"

Zhao Xing smiled faintly. "My strength is insufficient, so I do not yet dare challenge Fairy. Let me cultivate for another few hundred years, then I will come seek Fairy's guidance."

These were not empty pleasantries. In terms of Dao Fields, Zhao Xing was still at the Taiyin Dao Field.

Young Lotus Fairy, on the other hand, had already reached the fifth level of the Sun Dao Field.

Zhao Xing believed there was little difference between them in other areas, but when True Self Faction members sparred, a major gap in Dao Fields decided the outcome, because it involved the World Method.

When he sparred with Young Lotus Fairy, he was not seeking victory or defeat, only improvement. Using techniques from other factions would defeat the purpose.

"Another few hundred years will be enough?" Young Lotus Fairy's eyes lit up. She raised her brows. "Then I'll wait for you."

Once the two had finished speaking, Han Chuchen immediately invited Zhao Xing and the others to sit, then opened the discussion. "Brother Zhao, you've come to challenge Great World City as well, haven't you?"

?

"That's right. I just came out of seclusion, and as soon as I heard about it, I came over to take a look," Zhao Xing said. "Do you know what the rules are here?"

"Brother Zhao may not know this, but Zuo Qiyu, the envoy of the Primordial World, actually knows the legendary Void Ancestor Straw Man Art!" Han Chuchen sighed. "And he possesses the Grand Genesis Mystery."

"The Great World Golden Mystery is already a closely guarded secret of the martial path. Using the Straw Man Art to probe the mysteries of the Void Ancestor is even rarer. This is the first time I've heard of the Void Ancestor Straw Man Art."

"As for the trials within Great World City, I don't know much either, since I didn't even make it through the city gates."

"Qiusheng and Cheng Qianye, on the other hand, both passed through the gate. If you want to know more, you'll have to ask the two of them."

As he spoke, Han Chuchen lavished praise upon Yuan Qiusheng and Cheng Qianye.

Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised. Cheng Qianye was one thing—he ranked among the top ten combat-type Ministers of Agriculture, so passing the first stage was perfectly normal.

But Yuan Qiusheng was only a Minister of Agriculture from the support division, yet he had also passed the first stage?

"You two fellow Daoists possess profound arts. Might I ask you to offer me some guidance?"