Straw Puppet Formed, Array Broken, Qi Yuanzi's Shock!
Zhao Xing was also impressed by Liu Tianning.
If it were Tian Yan, he would probably say, "Don't rush, don't put so much pressure on yourself, take it easy."
But when it came to Liu Tianning: "You're not under enough pressure yet, let me push you a little harder."
That's just Liu Tianning's style. He has a phobia of stupidity and can't stand seeing people act stupidly.
He was even more demanding of his direct disciples, almost to the point of being obsessive. This was because his self-discipline was abnormally high.
Can't learn it? Then go die!
He constantly puts himself under extreme pressure, continuously splitting his Fate Soul to control more of his True Self Straw Puppet, to perform all kinds of magic.
Such a person... Old Master Zhao, a pervert, would find him perverted.
"If you can't learn it, the mission will definitely fail."
"You will not only lose battle merits, but the morale of the entire army will also be severely damaged. If you do not retreat and continue, you will be ambushed by the Sacred Spirit Royal Court sooner or later, and you will lose at least hundreds of thousands of battle merits."
"If you retreat, the Six Armies Alliance will collapse, all previous efforts will be in vain, and you will be blocked at the Soul Offering Pass," Liu Tianning said calmly.
Zhao Xing's breathing also became rapid.
He was already under immense pressure, and now that Liu Tianning said that, his nerves were on edge, and the pressure was at its peak!
"I understand, please come."
Liu Tianning nodded and extended his fair, jade-like hand. "The perfect integration of the five methods is essentially about making the five elements within the straw man generate each other and circulate endlessly."
"The True Self Straw Man Art is a testament to the Yin Yang True Self Scripture."
"The Five Elements Reverse Yin and Yang. You not only need to perfectly control the Five Elements Qi of the Straw Man Art, but also make it adapt to the Yin and Yang dual souls. Therefore, the Dao-integration foundation of the True Self Straw Puppet cannot be without the ' Soul Capturing Straw Figure '."
"Your Fate Soul resides in the womb. This straw figure will now serve as your second physical body, providing a dwelling place for a Fate Soul."
As Liu Tianning spoke, his body began to disintegrate.
A normal straw doll collapses almost instantly, but Liu Tianning's "collapse" was a slow disintegration of the straw doll's skin, flesh, veins, and bones.
He controlled his speed, slowing it down many times so that Zhao Xing could see it clearly.
The skin of the True Self Straw Puppet is similar to that of a human, but it has no flesh and blood. When the skin is broken, it forms the "meridians".
The True Self Straw Puppet that Liu Tianning used was made of very ordinary materials, as if it was a specially prepared demonstration model.
Its meridians are actually the rice stalks of the third-order Yuan Rice, each hollow rice stalk stretching and flexible, weaving and twisting together, just like the meridians of the human body.
Its internal "skeleton" is also a relatively common fourth-order material, hollow cork branches.
The five elements flow within the rice stalks, passing from one section to the next.
Liu Tianning's left hand fingers crumbled, but his right hand began to cast a spell.
Zhao Xing could see how the vital energy flowed within his body and how it ultimately formed into magic.
"Buzz~"
A cloud appeared in the palm of his right hand.
"Palm Cloud Movement!"
Zhao Xing was very familiar with this technique. His first teacher in Gucheng, Xue Wenzhong, had demonstrated the Palm Cloud Movement when he first taught him Cloud Method.
However, Liu Tianning's Cloudcalling was faster and stronger than Xue Wenzhong's, and he was using the Straw Man Art to perform Cloudcalling!
It's possible that Xue Wenzhong learned the Cloud Method from the Liu Family.
"Look carefully."
Liu Tianning stopped explaining thereafter, because he had already said everything that needed to be said.
Now it's mainly up to Zhao Xing to figure it out himself.
The left hand disintegrates, the right hand casts a spell.
An hour later, the left arm had completely disintegrated, but it still retained the shape of an arm, only it had become an enlarged version because it had been disassembled.
Zhao Xing was completely focused. From the very beginning, he activated the [Heaven's Eye Art], and the Fate Soul in his Sea of Consciousness opened its eyes.
I observed Liu Tianning's performance from different perspectives.
Immersed in the demonstration, Zhao Xing lost track of time.
I don't know when it started, but everything in front of me has become still.
When even the toes break apart.
"Splash!"
A pile of materials was scattered all over the ground.
Liu Tianning's straw figure completely vanished.
Zhao Xing looked up and saw a phantom shadow, which was a wisp of Fate Soul power separated by Liu Tianning.
However, without the protection of the straw doll's body, this wisp of Fate Soul force quickly dissipated.
"Old Liu has treated me very well," Zhao Xing couldn't help but sigh.
His original self, this True Self Straw Puppet, could have been recycled, and its Fate Soul force would not have been damaged.
The Fate Soul force left in this straw-like body is very strong!
But now that we are thousands of miles apart, and the power of the Fate Soul has dissipated, it will take a lot of time to replenish it.
Liu Tianning had no intention of fighting, so this split soul of his was specifically there to teach him.
It's all gone now, and it will take at least a year or two to make up for it, and it will cost a lot of precious treasures.
A heavy pressure welled up in Zhao Xing's heart, and he began to pick up the materials drafted by the person next to him.
"Rise!"
Zhao Xing once again attempted to Five Arts Unity, the five Straw Man Art being Divine Valor, Skyflight, Sacrificial Explosion, Invisibility, and Soul Seizure.
The single Straw Man Art involves balancing the five elements in multiple parts.
The combination of two methods increases the difficulty of the internal operation of the Five Elements exponentially. Each additional method combined becomes ten times more difficult than the previous one.
Zhao Xing already knows more than a dozen advanced techniques, but the limit of other advanced techniques is only advanced.
The True Self Straw Man Art, with its advanced levels merely a threshold, is hailed as the "Ultimate Technique"! All spells can be contained within it!
The True Self Straw Man Art " is the most difficult spell Zhao Xing has ever learned! Without a doubt.
"Combine!" He manipulated the five Straw Man Art with both hands, fusing them together.
He walked with trembling steps, controlling the flow of the five elements within an area the size of a grain of rice.
Perfectly integrating the five spells was extremely difficult for Zhao Xing, and he quickly reached his limit.
A seemingly complete straw figure appeared before them, but abnormal repulsive forces appeared in every part of it, and the five-element vortex either spun slower and slower or sped up faster and faster.
Zhao Xing was like a firefighter, with fires breaking out all over the straw figure. He maintained it here, but problems arose there. He stabilized the upper part, but the lower part began to show signs of collapse.
Feeling helpless and powerless, I was caught between two opposing forces.
He was all too familiar with this feeling; he had failed over ten thousand times, always failing at the final stage.
"Five Arts Unity, get it done!" Zhao Xing roared inwardly, persisting with all his might.
Under immense pressure, his energy and spirit reached their peak at this moment.
No matter how chaotic the five elements within the grass-like body were, he tried his best to save it, pulling the fusion of magic back from the brink of collapse time and time again.
Such repeated manipulation put immense pressure on his mind and spirit. The vortex of vital energy in his dantian was spinning wildly, and the Solar Terms Decree and the Houtu Gravel were on the verge of collapse. He had truly reached his limit.
Sudden--
A muffled thud was heard.
Zhao Xing's vision went black, his whole body relaxed, and his heart sank to the bottom.
The sound was like the scarecrow exploding again.
Did we fail again?
When Zhao Xing opened his eyes, he saw 'himself' kneeling on the ground.
"Um?"
The strange scene immediately made Zhao Xing realize something.
He looked down and saw a pair of rough hands, like the texture of wood.
"The Five Arts Unity! This is my perspective as the Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet!"
Zhao Xing was overjoyed.
"Hahahaha!"
He laughed loudly, looking up at the sky.
But they forgot that this straw figure was rather crude and didn't have a mouth.
In his excitement, the straw man collapsed.
A wisp of the straw man's Fate Soul, unintentionally merging into it, returned to its original form.
"Phew~"
Zhao Xing let out a long breath and smiled as he looked at the mangled remains of the straw man in front of him.
It doesn't matter if he breaks down; he's already learned his lesson.
Once we get past this hurdle, it's just a matter of perfecting the small details!
At this moment, a new spell has appeared on his panel.
[The Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet (Advanced)]
[Progress: First-Turn]
[Effect: The five methods are perfectly combined to create the Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet. When this Straw Man Art is cast, a Fate Soul will split off, allowing it to exist indefinitely. As the cultivation level increases, it can infinitely stack other spells!]
"I've learned the strongest Straw Man Art." Zhao Xing grinned. "This is the Ultimate Law of the Primordial Vital Energy Era; in the era of Spiritual Energy Revival, its effects will be even stronger, like a divine power, bringing endless benefits."
The Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet was the life-saving divine skill of the Agricultural Official. Liu Tianning survived so many assassination attempts during the reign of Wu Emperor, and eventually died of old age.
As long as he doesn't want to die, no one can kill him.
Because no one can distinguish which of Liu Tianning's original forms is correct, nor can anyone find where his original form is.
Of course, Wu Emperor is excluded here.
If Wu Emperor at his peak wanted to kill Liu Tianning, he could have done so.
After a certain period, it won't work anymore.
"If I reached Liu Tianning's position, obtained Mi Fu's ' Profound Yellow Origin-Analysis Technique,' and used the Spiritual Mountain Law to nourish my spirit, breaking the drawbacks of the Straw Man Art, and then went to various Grotto-Heaven to raise my fortune to level ten and acquire some treasures, even Wu Emperor at his peak wouldn't be able to kill me," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
His appointment as a first-rank Grand Minister of Agriculture and Liu Tianning's appointment as a first-rank Grand Minister of Agriculture are completely different concepts.
Zhao Xing, the First-Rank Grand Minister of Agriculture, is far superior to Liu Tianning!
"Now it seems that Old Liu has no choice but to accept this karmic debt."
Liu Tianning taught him meticulously, even at the cost of his own Fate Soul. In any case, they had become master and disciple, and this karmic connection was far more significant than Tian Yan's monetary investment.
"You've chosen me, and I will not let you down. I will definitely carry forward the Straw Man Art of your Liu Family!" Zhao Xing thought to himself.
One of Liu Tianning's greatest wishes is to ensure that the Liu Family's Straw Man Art is not lost.
Having mastered the True Self Straw Puppet, Zhao Xing sent a message to Liu Tianning through the Earth Mirror to share the good news.
Liu Tianning, who was in the Ten Thousand Laws Palace, smiled slightly after seeing the information in the Earth Mirror.
It wasn't just because Zhao Xing was incredibly talented and actually learned the Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet, but also because Zhao Xing addressed him as "Master" in the letter, so he was naturally happy that the Liu Transmission Straw Man Art had a successor.
On the other side, Zhao Xing was urgently perfecting the Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet. He quickly reached the advanced Third-Turn stage.
After mastering the Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet, it became much easier for him to integrate other Straw Man Art.
This includes incorporating basic techniques such as "Reconnaissance," "Repeat Movement," and "powerful strike" that you learned at the beginning.
Furthermore, it can be combined with other spells, such as the Bright Eyes Art, which allows the straw man to see further.
Of course, Zhao Xing can only accommodate mid-level techniques at the Third-Turn stage, not advanced techniques.
However, in terms of effectiveness, even the real thing might not be as useful as the straw man.
Zhao Xing doesn't know magic like Illusory Form or Invisibility, but the straw doll can.
"I can now summon three straw dolls of my True Self Straw Puppet at the same time. More than that would put a lot of pressure on my Fate Soul, and these three straw dolls cannot be destroyed casually."
"If it is damaged, it will harm my Fate Soul." Zhao Xing looked at the three straw figures in front of him.
Because it can "Illusory Form," the straw man now looks exactly like the real person, especially when it wears a straw raincoat and hat and holds a staff. Ordinary people simply cannot tell the difference.
"It's time to break through the Bewitching Array of Anping Road Nanxiang Road!" Zhao Xing didn't hesitate and immediately convened a meeting of the Tonghuo City's Equitable Transport Magistrate.
"From today onwards, supply convoys will continue to Nanxiang Road through Anping Road and Nanxiang Road!" Zhao Xing issued the order. "I will personally lead the convoys."
Anping Road Nanxiang Road are much safer than other routes once you get past the Bewitching Array.
Because these two routes can be promptly supported by the three armies at the front.
What if Soul Offering Pass wants to cause trouble?
That's perfect, then we don't even need to attack the city, we can just target the reinforcements directly.
A commotion arose among the people below, because Zhao Xing's order seemed somewhat unbelievable.
He was a single person leading several transport teams.
Moreover, the current Bewitching Array is even more powerful than before, and it is guarded by a ghost army. Many people think that Zhao Xing has gone mad.
But Zhao Xing is the top leader here!
Even if someone objects, he can still accomplish what he wants to do.
Once the order is issued, it is executed on the same day.
All transport teams on the original routes that had not yet set off were halted, and those that had recently departed were all caught up with and ordered to return to Tonghuo City, so that they would no longer need to detour around the enemy-occupied area.
His movement immediately triggered a response at the front lines.
Upon learning the news, Liao Rulong, Xia Jing, Chen Shijie, Wen Shaoyang, and others immediately convened an emergency meeting in the arena via the Earth Mirror.
"You want to take Anping Road Nanxiang Road? Is that feasible?" Wen Shaoyang asked.
"It will work!" Zhao Xing said. "Keep an eye on the movements on both routes and strike any reinforcements sent by Soul Offering Pass at any time. Soul Offering Pass will not stand idly by this change of route, so this is also an opportunity."
Seeing Zhao Xing's confidence, no one questioned him anymore.
Xia Jing and Chen Shijie both told Zhao Xing to be careful, then hung up the call to discuss the sniping plan.
Meanwhile, Qi Yuan Army, Yi Yue, and Nangong Ye also held a private meeting.
"Zhao Xing of the Divine Might Army said he wants to retrace the Anping Road Nanxiang Road, and he wants us to provide support for the transport teams at any time and to strike the reinforcements at Soul Offering Pass," Qi Yuan Army said. "Nangong, what do you think?"
"Can he get through the Bewitching Array?" Nangong Ye frowned. "If he can't, not only will our troops be wasted, but our supply lines will also collapse."
"Let him give it a try," Yi Yue said. "He has already agreed that if it fails, he can send our own people over."
"Alright, then we'll take this risk with him this time," Qi Yuan Army said. "His and Divine Might Army's performance so far has been quite commendable. If he doesn't perform well, then we'll suggest others."
To be honest, after fighting for so long, Qi Yuan Army, Yi Yue, Nangong Ye are all quite satisfied with the Divine Might Army.
Aside from Yi Yue's some complaints about Zhao Xing's previous delays, overall, Zhao Xing did a very good job.
Even if they replaced them with their own people, they probably wouldn't be able to do anything better.
If Zhao Xing agrees, then let's maintain the status quo of cooperation.
If Zhao Xing fails, they will have an excuse to increase their troops, enhance their influence within the Six Armies Alliance, or even go it alone.
The generals on the Soul Offering Pass were also discussing this at this time.
Morik and Qi Yuanzi were in charge of deploying a section of the Anping Road Bewitching Array when they received a sniping order from the Allied Forces leader.
"Zhao Xing of Tonghuo City, is he really going to walk into the Bewitching Array?" Morik received the order and found it unbelievable. "He really dares to do that?"
"The transport teams on the other routes have all withdrawn, that's a fact," Qi Yuanzi said. "As for whether he was really going to break in or pretending, and whether there was any conspiracy, we'll find out once we try."
"Morik, we need to take this seriously. If he can really get out of the Magic Array in Anping Road, we'll have to retreat." Qi Yuanzi frowned. "I have a feeling this person is not simple. Let's prepare to retreat to Soul Offering Pass."
Over the past month, Zhao Xing has managed to withstand immense pressure and ensure that the frontline army's supplies are not lacking, which has exceeded Qi Yuanzi's expectations.
The Saturation Transport Method is not something everyone can do. Tonghuo City's transport capacity, military output, and reserves all exceeded their calculations.
If they can still break through the Bewitching Array, he and Morik's barbarian army should forget about staying along the Anping Road and should retreat back into the pass as soon as possible.
Among the allied forces of various tribes at Soul Offering Pass, Morik ranks last in terms of both numbers and influence. If Soul Offering Pass is lost, they will not bear the primary responsibility.
"If we lose the Soul Offering Pass, we can take it back later, but if we lose our lives, we can never get them back."
"You're right." Morik wholeheartedly agreed. He was from the Sacred Spirit Royal Court, and guarding the Fire Demon Tribe territory under the Golden Feather Royal Court didn't really give him much resolve, since it wasn't his own hometown.
"Dragon Bone Warship advance 1200 meters; land-based airships retreat 600 meters!"
"The Sea Overturning Tower Ship, stern to port, turn!"
On Anping Road, on a warship low in the sky, Zhao Xing stood on the dragon head of the deck, constantly issuing orders.
"Che Shihai, you've flown too high, now you're falling 200 meters!"
"Boss, if we descend another two hundred meters, I'm going to crash into the mountain!"
"You think you can just surrender because I told you to? You're just imagining things!"
"Yes!!" Che Shihai gritted his teeth, widened his eyes, and descended two hundred meters, crashing into the mountain peak in front of him.
Strangely enough, even though he felt they were about to collide, the airship he was controlling flew past instead.
Once the lead airship passed, the others followed suit and flew over together.
"Damn, this is really weird." Che Shihai's palms were sweating.
He had been flying for two hours and had experienced this several times.
But every time, I couldn't help but tremble.
It was purely Bewitching Array created by the illusion that affected his Fate Soul.
It made him instinctively feel fear and dread.
"Wang Ji, have the Fire Crossbow Camp of the Dragon Bone Warship prepare!"
"Left cabin, aim at the fourth Divination Position, Gen position, mid-wind zone. Ten breaths later, saturation launch!"
Don't stop until I tell you to.
"Yes, sir!" Wang Ji immediately roared at the Mechanism Master controlling the warship, "Left cabin Fire Crossbow Camp, take position! Adjust the crossbows to the fourth Divination Position to fire. Target range: Gen position, Zhongfeng area!"
"Emission!"
The Fire Crossbow Camp of the Great Zhou generally refers to the warship Fire Crossbow Camp, which can only be equipped with at least Fifth-Tier Premium warship.
Because the boat was too small, there was really no place to put it. Each ballista was 108 meters long and 15 meters wide.
The ballista consists of five parts: base, flint, trigger mechanism, firing port, and bolt.
The fifth-tier crossbow has a firing rate of 1,600 rounds and can fire 80 fire bolts per second. Calling them bolts is a bit of an exaggeration; they're more like giant spears.
The fifth-tier crossbow bolt is extendable; it is five meters long and as thick as a wrist before it is fired, and after being fired, it expands to the thickness of a thigh and is fifteen meters long.
The fire crossbow bolt is a three-section design. The last two sections are engraved with a total of 1,285 mechanical Magic Array. During flight, these arrays provide power to the tip of the crossbow, accelerating it to at least five shots' worth of speed!
The arrowhead of the fire crossbow is a three-layered sleeve. It can break through barriers and penetrate warships. Moreover, it does not immediately detonate the internal Magic Array upon hitting an object, but rather explodes a few seconds after penetration.
Its inner two layers, or core layer, are made of fifth-grade Firecracker Bamboo material.
Those capable of equipping Fire Crossbow Camp are generally strong armies; ordinary armies run out of materials as the fighting progresses.
Because to build it, the Mechanism Master must be an elite like Wang the Engineer. Ordinary craftsmen cannot master such exquisite mechanical Magic Array techniques. In addition, fifth-tier Firecracker Bamboo are not something that ordinary Agricultural Official can grow in large quantities.
"Buzz~" Streaks of azure light shot out from the port rudder of the Dragon Bone Warship.
There was no sound of air being cut because the wind resistance was eliminated by the Windwalking Formation on the crossbow bolt, which is why it appeared blue.
The arrow only turns red when it hits the target.
After giving the order, Wang Ji also kept his eyes on the target area ahead.
Because the place Zhao Xing wanted to bomb was, in his view, an unobstructed high altitude.
But as soon as the ballista fired, he saw a fiery red light burst forth, which meant that the target had been hit.
But Wang Ji still couldn't see what he had hit.
Zhao Xing stood on the deck, using his Heavenly Eye. He saw a group of black flying boats with Ghost-Head Soul Sail being shot down in the sky.
"This is the aerial base of the Bewitching Array. It has the effect of confusing the mind, and at the same time, it also has offensive power. As long as you get close, your Fate Soul will be impacted. At best Fate Soul be damaged and you will become an idiot; at worst, your Fate Soul will die directly," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
"There are three hundred flying boats hovering along the way. So many. It seems I'm about to fly out of this Bewitching Array."
As expected, the Fire Crossbow Camp on the Dragon Bone Warship shot down these airships.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Zhao Xing saw the city ahead. The Heavenly Timing had returned to normal, the almanac was no longer issuing warnings, and the direction and time were all back to normal.
This means that his team has escaped the Bewitching Array.
"Old Liu is truly amazing; he's even proficient in the art of formations," Zhao Xing couldn't help but praise.
"This man is the Military Sima Nong, yet he's also proficient in formations. He's truly extraordinary!"
After Zhao Xing's fleet flew past, in a valley below.
Morik watched in shock as black soul sails fell from the sky, a preparation they had made long ago.
"This person is extraordinary. He uses the Five Elements of Heaven and Earth as his foundation and the Yin Soul Sailboat as his formation, yet he still managed to get through." Qi Yuanzi's eyes were filled with shock. "Our Profound Heaven Sect's Magic Array, which blocks the heavens and the earth, actually couldn't stop him."
"Morik, let's retreat. Forget about sniping him, and we need to retreat immediately, otherwise we might be surrounded by the main force ahead! If we're too late, we won't be able to escape this encirclement!"