Return to Great Dream Academy, a Giant Puppet Divine Weapon Beyond Rank Nine
!
There is a small squad stationed on Twin Islands. They are from the Restoration Army and number only about 500.
The leading military officer was named Jiang Tian, a Fifth Grade official, with eight Sixth Rank deputy officers and the rest being Seventh Grade.
They weren't invited by Zhao Xing, but rather Sun Shizhao submitted a report to Chongming Prefecture requesting to be stationed there.
Zhao Xing originally disagreed with sending troops to Twin Islands.
The weaker an island's apparent strength is, the better; if it's so weak that others don't bother to attack it, it will naturally be safe.
What's the point of having an extra 500-strong army?
Previously, He Wu of the Wuluo Army and Fang Ze of the Jiujiang Army both expressed their willingness to send a 500-man team led by a Fifth Grade officer to garrison the area.
But Zhao Xing refused them all.
Like I said, it's useless.
If something really happens, even if there are 1,500 more people, it won't make much of a difference.
On the contrary, it may attract attention.
If it's Fourth Grade, then it would be useful. But according to the configuration of Fourth Grade general, Fifth Grade deputy general, and Sixth Rank soldier... what merit do you, a small Twin County like Shuangzi, have?
Therefore, Zhao Xing did not agree with sending troops to the islands, at least not his Land Island.
But he couldn't resist Sun Shizhao's repeated requests.
Sun Shizhao has been living in constant fear these past few years, because several other islands have been attacked to varying degrees.
Some county magistrates were beheaded or died in the line of duty, while others were demoted for failing to protect the people.
Serving as an official at sea offered great opportunities for promotion, but it was also dangerous, and Sun Shizhao was mentally prepared for this.
However, he was simply unlucky. He had been an official for twenty years when the Pacifying Barbarians War to Pacify the Barbarians broke out, and things were no longer as easy to manage in the East Sea as they used to be.
Because the evaluation of officials in Pinghai Province has become more stringent.
If it weren't for the arrival of Marquis Yuan Rang nine years ago, even if he were demoted to the Fifth Grade, he would still have to return to the inland to serve as an official.
After Zhao Xing arrived, he felt that his luck had finally turned around and that a promotion was on the horizon.
However, in the years since the start of the Middle-Rank War, the danger level in the East Sea has increased year by year.
Sun Shizhao couldn't understand why, with the East Sea Legion and the aquatic chieftain's army like Bai Yunwu blocking the way in the open sea, they couldn't wipe out the mere "pirates"?
It's said that long-dormant Outer Sects have resurfaced, but after several years of purges, why haven't we seen any results? The coastal defense map has been changed so many times, yet it's still as riddled with holes as ever.
It's quite frustrating to be an official like Sun Shizhao.
There are evil sects outside and spies inside. The imperial court is cracking down on counter-revolutionaries, while the evil sects are carrying out terrorist attacks.
He wanted to do something, but found that he, as the top leader, had no real authority.
He applied to Chongming Prefecture for permission to station troops in the camp, but the prefectural magistrate actually told him to ask Zhao Xing, the Left Director opinion.
The reason given was that the expenses for stationing troops had to come from the Agricultural Supervisorate, so they had to ask Zhao Shennong first.
Sun Shizhao realized that he had no control over the situation.
Because Chongming Prefecture's reasoning was rather absurd, even according to the reply above, the question should be directed to Fang Anmin, the Fifth Grade supervisor of the Shuangzi Agricultural Supervisorate, who was the one in charge of the county's finances.
What exactly is the purpose of asking Dragon Horse Bureau?
Alright, Marquis Yuan Rang is awesome, he has a powerful background, so it's fine to ask him.
But why wouldn't he agree to send more elite troops to protect Twin Islands?
Having spent many years in officialdom, Sun Shizhao truly couldn't understand the situation.
Seeing that Sun Shizhao had made several requests over the years, Zhao Xing agreed to allow 500 members of the Restoration Army to be stationed there in order to put Sun Shizhao at ease.
With the army protecting him, he finally felt a little more at ease, but in the past few days, Sun Shizhao's eyelids have started twitching again.
My heart was pounding.
He went to find Jiang Tian, still feeling uneasy, but Jiang Tian didn't seem to have the same feeling.
He planned to go to the Dragon Horse Bureau on the Land Island to report to Zhao Xing, but he was afraid that Zhao Xing would bother him.
He was filled with anxiety. Sun Shizhao had considered applying for a transfer many times, but with ten years of meritorious service about to be completed and only six months left, he was unwilling to give up this opportunity.
Anxiety and mental exhaustion were overwhelming for Sun Shizhao, who had never felt so tired before.
When he saw no hope, he dared to gamble his entire fortune on whether Zhao Xing could lead Twin Islands to take off.
But now, a few years later, his state of mind is not the same as before.
People always feel anxious and uncertain when they are close to success.
Sun Shizhao just wanted to finish the 29th year of the Jingxin Calendar as soon as possible, to receive the excellent evaluation from Chongming Prefecture as soon as possible, and so on...
"Lord Sun, activate the city's defensive array immediately! Organize the people to enter the city, hurry!"
"What?" Sun Shizhao was startled and immediately jumped up. He recognized Jiang Tian's voice.
"General, what happened?"
Jiang Tian's men weren't here; he used Thousand Mile Transmission Token: "The sentry I left on the east side of the island is dead, and the password for a patrol group doesn't match!"
"I'm pretending not to know and stalling for time, but you need to act quickly!"
"Good!"
Jiang Tian immediately sent a telepathic message to all departments in the county.
"Ministry of Works, activate the defensive array immediately!"
"Patrol Office Luo Yong, take your men to assist with the city's defenses. Anyone who can't enter the city is definitely a spy; kill them immediately!"
"Furthermore, a portion of the troops will be sent to the Agricultural Supervisorate Agricultural Supervisorate assist them in immediately dispatching all their Tower Ship and flying boats to bring the people outside the city back to the city."
"Priest Li of the temple immediately sent a message to Chongming Prefecture, informing us that we had suffered an unknown attack."
"The Priest of each temple should immediately summon the processional deities to support the Patrol Office and the Agricultural Supervisorate outside the city..."
Before the incident happened, he was terrified, but when it actually happened, Sun Shizhao was less afraid.
His methodical approach demonstrated the qualities of a capable official.
After giving all these instructions, he immediately took out a talisman and flung it open. Flames erupted, revealing a human face.
"Marquis Yuan Rang, Wan Island has been attacked by an unknown force!"
The man with the face nodded. "Don't panic, calm the people down. I've already killed the ringleader, the rest are on the run, and I'm hunting them down."
"Huh?" Sun Shizhao was stunned.
Rewind 15 minutes, and Golden Throat General led his men through the cloud path, quietly landing on Twin Wan Island from the west.
"General, there are hidden sentries," said the adjutant beside Golden Throat. "Three men are lurking three miles to the southwest, using Water Aversion Pearl."
"There is a patrol team in the northwest, with four hidden sentries as well."
"Kill the sentry, arrest the guards," Golden Throat said casually.
The warships were completely Invisibility; given the scale of the Twin Islands, they were entirely undetectable.
There are only two possibilities when deploying defenses at sea: either they can't get in, or if they do, it's just indiscriminate slaughter.
Because of the East Sea Legion and the Shui tribe chieftain's army in front, these two lines of defense are already the strongest sea defense of the Great Zhou.
With the latest coastal defense maps and merchant caravans acting as inside agents, they infiltrated and reached this point, which is a relatively weak link. The defenses of a county island cannot be very high.
Of course, the East Sea is much more vigilant now, and they have to act quickly, firing a shot and running away, because Golden Throat General is a relatively young Fourth Grade, not the kind of person who is nearing the end of his life and would carry out a suicide attack.
After causing destruction, he would have to find a new place to hide and then strike again after a few months or a year or two.
"Quickly extract the key information, infiltrate the Twin City, and once inside, you only have half an hour. Only seek out officials and ignore the common people."
"I reiterate, try not to kill them. The key is to use the Blood Kui Art to lower their cultivation level and steal the luck of the Great Zhou officials."
Golden Throat General said calmly.
Why did he come here? Because after cooperating with the sect, he obtained the method of stealing resources!
While knocking down a person's realm, one can also steal a portion of the fortune of the Great Zhou officials.
If the officials are not killed, the court will have to compensate them, which would cause more harm than killing them.
"General, the interrogation is complete. He says there are..."
"He's lying, you've been deceived." Golden Throat slapped the captured Seventh Grade Restoration Army.
A blood-red palm print was imprinted on his forehead, then emerged from behind his body.
Sparks of light scattered from the commander into the heavens and earth, but some were swept back by the blood energy.
"Gulp~" Golden Throat General swallowed it, and the face of this Seventh Grade commander immediately turned deathly pale.
After that palm strike, he was left with only the early stage of the Eighth Grade, and all the imperial court's gifts were gone!
"Not even enough to fill a tooth gap." Golden Throat General waved his hand. "Enter the city immediately."
"Yes."
Everyone jumped off the dark gold warship, even Golden Throat General himself left the ship, leaving only a few people behind to guard it.
The warships did not sail directly into the city to avoid being recorded and leaving traces; stopping outside the island was fine.
However, at that moment—
"Call out!"
A sword light suddenly appeared from a kilometer to the south.
Sword energy! The powerful sword energy resembled a Azure Dragon, and this path seemed to have suddenly emerged from space.
Golden Throat General felt his scalp tingle and an intense sense of crisis surged into his heart.
Having fought for so many years, he had faced several life-or-death crises, but this one was the most intense.
As he trembled and turned to look at the source of his fear, the Azure Dragon Sword Qi was already right in front of him.
At this moment, apart from Golden Throat, no one else reacted and continued flying forward.
"Drifting Snow!" Before the life-or-death crisis, Golden Throat General's spirit and energy reached their peak, and his swordsmanship also reached unprecedented power.
He actually broke through in the heat of battle! As the blade flashed, it seemed as if snowflakes were falling from the sky.
At that instant, Golden Throat General's blade finally caught up with the speed of the sword energy.
Normally, Golden Throat would probably jump for joy, because the power of his Drifting Snow move is almost on par with the attack power of a perfect Fourth Grade.
But now, all he feels is fear!
Because when his sword energy touched the azure Azure Dragon, it was instantly disintegrated by the dragon's claws.
The Azure Dragon Sword Qi seemed to carry an invincible power, shattering his blade Qi with its most ferocious force.
"Clang!"
The sixth-grade mid-level Flowing Light Saber in Golden Throat's hand was knocked out of his grasp by the sword energy.
The blade flipped rapidly, like a sharp cutting disc, slicing through the bodies of ten martial artists and three lieutenants beside him.
He himself was struck by the Azure Dragon Sword Qi.
"Pfft~"
The armor on Golden Throat General's body shone with a dazzling light. It was a sixth-grade superior-quality Feather Wind Armor. His chest suddenly caved in, and Golden Throat's body bent like a shrimp.
"Bang!" Although the sword energy did not penetrate the armor and its power was reduced by 70%, the remaining 30% still caused a terrifying impact, shattering the golden bones in his chest and abdomen and piercing his heart.
"Such a beautiful way of swordsmanship..." Golden Throat felt his own death, a look of intoxication on his face.
People like them, who live on the edge and infiltrate the Great Zhou, a celestial empire, to do their work, have long been prepared for death.
"To die under such swordsmanship is no injustice."
Golden Throat General sighed, for he too had not been defeated.
The power of the sword energy is bound by the Dao of its master, completely concentrated at a single point, without any leakage. It is fierce and domineering, but possesses extremely strong penetrability.
This is the realm he pursued throughout his life.
"General? General?!"
It wasn't until Golden Throat's aura rapidly weakened, making it impossible for him to maintain his flight and he began to fall, that anyone realized what was happening.
Because everything happened too fast, from the moment Golden Throat's knife slipped from his hand, endangering more than ten people, to his life force waning and him falling, it all happened in an instant.
At this moment, Golden Throat's primordial spirit was shattered, but he was not completely dead; he was simply unable to issue any commands.
By the time the people around him supported his body and tried to form Qi and Blood Battle Formation to remedy the situation, it was already too late.
"Withdraw!"
This team was considered elite. Their leader was dead, and several of their adjutants had also died, but immediately the highest-ranking person stepped forward to give orders.
They instantly coalesced into Qi and Blood Battle Formation, attempting to return to the warship.
Mist Concealment, Zhao Xing frowned as he watched this scene. "Eastern Ying forces? And elite troops at that? They've let them in?"
However, it was futile for these people to try to retreat.
Because Zhao Xing brought eight Ten Thousand Laws Clone, seven of which were the strongest.
Not only are the materials all of the sixth rank, capable of casting high-level Sixth-Turn spells, but they also contain Yang An's sword energy.
It's just that its Fate Soul power is a bit weak, so it can't sustain a battle for too long, but its Fate Soul level is still at the Fifth Grade rank.
Even if the clone can't handle it, there's still a cat, a dog, and a sheep waiting in the Mist Concealment.
"The Soaring Serpent Transformation!"
Zhao Xing didn't waste any more sword energy, since he only had 7 sword energies left.
His eight clones simultaneously unleashed the Soaring Serpent Transformation, instantly locking onto eight squad leaders, who were also Fifth Grade, attempting to form a blood energy battle formation.
"Puff puff puff puff puff puff puff!"
The Soaring Serpent Transformation caused the eight people to vomit blood. The phantom image of a large snake's blood energy that had been condensing above their heads dissipated instantly.
"Not dead?"
"The Netherwind of the Fiend!"
"Thunder Breaking Illusion Finger!"
Zhao Xing then unleashed a series of high-level techniques. With his current understanding of the Dao, he had already reached the Fourth Grade rank. Even though the Ten Thousand Laws Clone had some limitations, the second round of attacks immediately killed the eight squad leaders.
At this point, this elite Eastern Ying squad immediately collapsed.
Because there were only twenty Fifth Grade left in the team, but these twenty Fifth Grade had only just entered the Pure Yuan Realm and had not even fully mastered the Golden Bone Realm.
They can't even see the enemy now, and if they are blown by the Netherwind of the Fiend, even the strongest will will collapse.
So they scattered and fled for their lives.
"Trying to leave? Not so easy. Sky Howl, Heaven Defier, Illusory Heaven, kill them."
Zhao Xing immediately gave orders to the three war beasts.
"Woof!"
"Meow!"
"Meow~"
The Azure Lion Dog and the Mountain Cat immediately rushed out of the Mist Concealment range.
The Spirit Illusion Goat stood still, its eyes glowing red.
Ten Thousand Laws Clone Cloud Method Domain, the speed of the twenty early- Fifth Grade cultivators was immediately reduced.
The Netherwind of the Fiend already prevented them from accelerating, and now the suppression from the Cloud Method domain is causing their vital energy to drain away rapidly.
The illusions of the Spirit Illusion Goat directly affect the Fate Soul; its nickname "Inverted Sheep" is well-deserved.
The remaining fifty or sixty people were immediately under the illusion spell, unable to distinguish left from right and up from down.
Those that tried to fly upwards suddenly crashed to the ground, while those that tried to fly forward were suddenly pushed backwards and instead ran towards the Mountain Cat and the Azure Lion Dog.
It's bizarre, so very bizarre.
I didn't see anyone at first, and I still haven't seen anyone; I only saw a dog.
Because the Mountain Cat are too fast, they can't see them at all.
The Spirit Illusion Goat remained standing in the Mist Concealment, unleashing its attacks with methods that utterly broke them.
Once they lose their will to fight and become deserters, these Fifth Grade are nothing more than easy prey for the three-headed war beast.
"Buzz~" A talisman on his body burst into flames, indicating that Sun Shizhao had urgently contacted him.
Seeing that he had the situation under control, Zhao Xing channeled a burst of energy into the communication talisman.
"Marquis Yuan Rang, Twin Islands have been attacked by an unknown force!"
"Don't panic, calm the people down. I've already killed the ringleader, and the rest are on the run; I'm hunting them down."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Tian arrived with his men at breakneck speed.
The five hundred members of the Restoration Army formed a blazing sun hanging overhead, and Jiang Tian, being Fifth Grade perfected cultivator, possessed an even more formidable aura at this moment.
However, when he arrived, he saw Zhao Xing standing next to Golden Throat's corpse.
Jiang Tian could not see the rest of the Ten Thousand Laws Clone.
Of course, he also saw the cats and dogs wreaking havoc.
"Marquis Yuan Rang, this..." Jiang Tian landed, utterly astonished. He never imagined that the Mountain Cat and the Azure Lion Dog could kill so many people.
Zhao Xing didn't bother to explain. He pointed to the remaining dozen or so people who had fled and said, "Go and catch the thieves quickly, or it will be too late."
"Yes, thank you, Marquis Yuan Rang," Jiang Tian said gratefully.
"Okay." Zhao Xing nodded. "It's up to you."
He called back the Mountain Cat and the Azure Lion Dog, and only used the Spirit Illusion Goat to influence the remaining dozen or so people.
Then let Jiang Tian and his Restoration Army participate in the battle, otherwise Jiang Tian will not do anything and the higher-ups will definitely punish him for incompetence.
Old Master Zhao was quite understanding of his people. He understood that Jiang Tian's reaction speed was already quite good, and he wasn't truly incompetent.
He came to Golden Throat's body, but instead of touching it, he used his third eye to examine it.
When they saw through Golden Throat's armor and saw the blurred flesh and broken golden bones inside his body, they couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines:
"Yang An's skill level is still increasing. I originally thought it would take several sword energies to kill him, but I didn't expect it to be done with just one sword energy."
As the saying goes, "a trade is like a mountain," and Zhao Xing, who had not yet reached the Fourth Grade, only knew the form of Yang An's sword cultivation, but not its essence.
He knew that Yang An's sword energy was quite powerful among Fourth Grade, but he didn't know exactly how powerful it was.
If Yang An were to see Zhao Xing's Myriad Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet Ten Thousand Laws Straw Puppet, he probably wouldn't have a clear concept of its power and could only vaguely guess at its strength.
"No wonder Yang An was able to kill Third Grade Heavenly Witch. This is just sword energy, yet it can instantly kill a mid-stage Fourth Grade."
This is the sword energy that Zhao Xing preserved when he left Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven in the twentieth year of Jingxin Calendar. He may not have preserved the Dao of Yang An!
Even so, he still instantly killed Fourth Grade Golden Throat!
It's not that the Golden Throat vegetable is bad, but rather that Yang An, this sword cultivator, is too strong.
"If Yang An hadn't died in the high-level battle, he should have been the top swordsman in Pinghai Province..." Zhao Xing thought to himself.
Unfortunately, he didn't know how Yang An died, so he had no way to warn him.
The mid-stage of the Pacifying Barbarians War to Pacify the Barbarians has started three years earlier than planned, so we can only hope that Yang An's fate has also changed.
Otherwise it would be a pity, after all, Yang An still had some feelings for him, but it wasn't to the point that Zhao Xing would put himself in danger.
Carrying Chen Shijie almost cost him his life! Carrying Yang An's life was impossible for Old Master Zhao, especially in the context of the Pacifying Barbarians War.
"Huh?" Zhao Xing suddenly saw a map, and his expression changed. "A map of the East Sea's coastal defenses, including cloud paths, patrol routes, and locations where heavy troops are secretly stationed... What does this red circle marked with Snake Script mean? Although it's not complete, this is just too outrageous."
Upon seeing the coastal defense map, Zhao Xing immediately understood why Princess Youruo's anti-revolutionary purges had failed to completely eradicate the problem after several years.
The problems with the coastal defense network and heavy troop deployments are not limited to Chongming Prefecture and the Purple Firmament Islands; they reflect issues at the highest levels of the entire East Sea Legion.
Only Liang King could achieve this level of skill.
As long as Princess Youruo doesn't turn her sword on her own uncle, this matter will never be investigated.
Investigating oneself? Even if it's Yin Spirit patrolling the sea and interrogating, the Yin Spirit's control is ultimately still human control!
Taking Zhao Xing as an example, if a civilian on Twin Islands was killed by Tao Anchun, one of his subordinates, even if the killing happened in front of the Twin County Temple, it would be reported to four people first: the Sikou Ling of Twin County, the Twin County Sun Shizhao, the Twin County, and the Temple Chief Priest.
But these four people are all counting on Zhao Xing's promotion, so they will definitely consult with him first.
Even if one of them is upright and incorruptible, and reports this minor civilian death incident to the prefectural city, bypassing the proper channels.
Once it reaches the prefectural city, I'm sorry, it will still be sent back to the Commandery-level County for handling, because Zhao Xing of the prefectural city also has connections.
If he wanted to protect Tao Anchun, he absolutely could.
In the Commandery-level County of Twin Islands, Zhao Xing was practically all-powerful; the only trouble he would face was when his influence reached the prefectural capital.
Of course, things can't be too big. Even something as trivial as treason and massacre is something that Old Master Zhao can't cover up.
But Prince Liang Ji Mingxian, the Grand Marshal of the Pacification of the Pinghai Province, could do it! He only needed to use the pretext of consolidation to relocate the East Sea Legion and let some enemies slip in. The Liang King Faction, which had been operating for hundreds of years, had a deeply entrenched network of influence, making these things easy for them.
"No wonder that old hag doesn't have time to argue anymore."
"When Emperor Jing was pacifying the barbarians, the priority was the Pacifying Barbarians War. Everything else could be put aside and dealt with later."
"Moreover, this may well be the result of Emperor Jing's indulgence." Zhao Xing shook his head.
He continued scanning with his Heaven's Eye Art and soon spotted a snake-shaped jade pendant in the corpse's dantian, which made Zhao Xing feel uneasy.
Unable to discern anything special with his Heaven's Eye Art, Zhao Xing switched to another spell.
Using the Aura Observation Technique, it was found that his eight Ten Thousand Laws Clone could now use the Heaven's Eye Art and the Great Evolution Aura Observation Technique, although their power was somewhat reduced.
After switching to the Great Evolution Qi Observation Art, Zhao Xing was immediately startled. He saw a black pattern on the jade pendant, with a red tail, a flat head, and a slender body, inside which a snake was breathing out four colors: gray, white, blue, and red.
"The Viper Devouring Luck; this is a method of stealing fortune!"
"It contains a chaotic and disordered fortune, all of which was stolen from the Great Zhou Dynasty."
One part of Zhao Xing's plan was to obtain the method of smuggling.
I never expected to run into him today.
"Don't touch it, or you'll be in big trouble." Zhao Xing's eyes flashed with a thoughtful look, but he remained standing still.
Inside the Jiujiang Grotto Heaven, the main body also saw on the panel that the luck level had been temporarily reduced from Evolution Five to Derivation Four.
This confirms his conjecture.
"This is a big problem; don't touch this thing."
He was going to serve as an official in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and during this period he learned the art of stealing goods, which was tantamount to ruining his future.
Moreover, the method of stealing luck that this person possesses is not considered advanced, and there will likely be a price to pay.
"Don't even mention taking it, I shouldn't even know about it." Zhao Xing narrowed his eyes slightly and took a few steps back.
Even if Golden Throat is alive, he can still infiltrate and cause trouble; even if Golden Throat is dead, he can still play a role!
Once his magic was confiscated by an official, this method of smuggling was discovered.
How many people can resist temptation?
Can you resist the temptations of money and beauty? The increased strength, lifespan, and fortune that come with stealing... how many officials can resist such temptations?
"In recent years, we have also killed a lot of heretical sects and countless people with the method of stealing resources. Some of them must have ended up in the hands of the officials of the Great Zhou... Whether these people are dead or alive, they have made the best use of us."
"If I dare to take this jade pendant, I will be questioned immediately."
"Fortunately, I only used the Heaven's Eye Art and the Aura Gazing Technique to scan him, without touching him at all. All of this was recorded by the Mirage Pearl."
He stopped looking at Golden Throat's body and simply stood guard quietly.
The battle ended quickly; no one escaped, but no one survived.
These people practiced evil magic, and when they saw they were about to be caught, they decisively committed suicide, and it was a suicide in which both their body and soul were destroyed.
At this moment, Zhao Xing, Jiang Tian, and Sun Shizhao were all in a bad mood.
Jiang Tian felt ashamed; even after all that, he hadn't managed to catch anyone alive.
Sun Shizhao was filled with lingering fear. He hadn't expected such a strong Eastern Ying team to arrive on his Twin Islands. Without Zhao Xing, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Zhao Xing, on the other hand, vaguely felt that he had been caught up in someone's scheme after seeing the coastal defense map and the serpent stealing the jade pendant.
"I stayed quietly on Twin Islands, either cultivating or farming. After taking up my post at the Dragon Horse Bureau, I rarely handled daily affairs, in order to reduce my karmic burden. The luck of Evolution Five protected me for eight years without incident, but now I've finally been drawn into it."
"In the past, Liang King Rebellion, the East Sea was less affected, but now there is likely to be a great upheaval."
Just as Zhao Xing was pondering, Sun Shizhao and Jiang Tian walked over.
"Marquis Yuan Rang, how should we handle this matter?" Sun Shizhao asked, while Jiang Tian looked at Zhao Xing, awaiting his decision.
Zhao Xing glanced at the two men and asked, "Lord Jiang, Lord Sun, are you trying to gain credit for this?"
Sun Shizhao quickly shook his head. Logically speaking, this kind of thing should be considered meritorious, but he wasn't stupid. What had happened in the past few years? Was he still thinking of gaining credit? It was good enough if he could avoid trouble.
Jiang Tian also shook his head. With such a strong team from the Eastern Ying forces infiltrating, as usual, the East Sea coastal defense forces would likely see countless people beheaded, imprisoned, and demoted.
Because this was a dereliction of duty by the East Sea Legion, but Jiang Tian had seen it all over the years. Most of those who were demoted or transferred... were wronged!
"If you don't want it, then listen to me," Zhao Xing said. "No one is allowed to leave the scene; keep the battle as it is."
"I brought the Mirage Pearl Echo Conch with me to make records, but I still lack the witness of the Judicial Nether God. Lord Sun, please give the order to have the main Priest of the temple Zhao Ping, carry the statue over."
"Lord Jiang, you should keep your men in check. They should not search for stolen goods or look at them. They should simply stay outside this circle."
"I will report to the princess. Once I tell you it's okay to report, then you can submit your report to Chongming Prefecture."
"Yes." Jiang Tian and Sun Shizhao immediately complied.
Zhao Xing also retreated far away, leaving the corpses, stolen goods, and the warship all in place, simply encircling them from a distance.
Xiao Sun has had it so tough. If he dares to see the secret techniques inside the jade pendant, being dismissed from his post would be the best outcome.
Jiang Tian is even more of a threat; if he were to see that coastal defense map, he would be a menace.
At this point, the less you know, the better.
Zhao Xing planned to submit the report privately to the Princess's Residence, and then, once Princess Youruo sent someone, submit it to Chongming Prefecture in the form of an official document.
Because the Earth Mirror couldn't be used on the beach outside the island, Zhao Xing could only come out of the Daoist temple in Jiujiang Grotto Heaven and contact Princess Youruo in his true form.
"Buzz~"
The Earth Mirror projection revealed Princess Youruo's figure; she was actually dressed in military attire, standing behind a screen.
Behind the screen, there were still many figures, some kneeling and some standing.
"Chen'an, what is it?"
Princess Youruo Ruo interrupted her other affairs to receive Zhao Xing's communication because Zhao Xing was using the emergency code she had given him, Zhao Xing hadn't used once in the past eight years.
"Master's wife, a well -Eastern Ying has appeared on my island. The leader is at the mid-stage of the Yuan Soul Realm, and there are eighty-nine members in total."
"However, they have all been executed."
Princess Youruo was somewhat surprised, "Are you alright?"
"This disciple is fine. My true form is cultivating in Jiujiang Grotto Heaven, completing the task assigned to me by my master."
"They wiped out this team just by using a clone?" A hint of admiration appeared in Princess Youruo's eyes.
"Since they have all been executed, why didn't you report it to Chongming Prefecture?"
Zhao Xing knew that Princess Youruo was testing him, but he didn't offer any wild analysis. He simply replied, "This matter is of great importance. I think we should present it to my teacher's wife first, and then report it to Chongming Prefecture, so as not to disrupt my teacher's plans."
Princess Youruo nodded. "I will send someone over, it will take at least two hours."
"Disciple understands. I will ensure that the people from Chongming Prefecture will arrive in at least three hours."
"Alright." Princess Youruo nodded slightly. "Protect the scene well, and it's best not to touch anything."
"Yes."
Two hours later, Liu Wanliang, the Vice Minister of the Princess's Residence, personally led a team to the Wan Island of Twin Islands.
Upon seeing the scene, especially the size of that warship, Liu Wanliang couldn't help but feel secretly alarmed.
The Viper Kingdom's Dark Viper Warship a top-tier sixth-order vessel, yet they actually sent such a warship over.
If Zhao Xing hadn't intervened, Twin County would have been destroyed in just two hours.
"Jiang Tian, Sun Shizhao, you may leave now," Liu Wanliang said. "I will give you a report for reference later."
"Yes." Sun Shizhao and Jiang Tian obediently returned to the city. It was called a reference, but it was actually an order.
They then simply followed the plan Liu Wanliang had given them.
After everyone had left, Liu Wanliang approached Zhao Xing.
"Chen'an, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
"Sir," Zhao Xing bowed respectfully, "It is Chen'an who should thank you for making this trip in person."
"Have you touched any of the enemy chief's belongings?" Liu Wanliang asked the most crucial question right away.
He knew that the attack teams in recent years all carried some evil magic with them, deliberately tempting the officials of the Great Zhou to fall into depravity.
To prevent Zhao Xing from going astray, he had to get to the bottom of things; otherwise, if someone else asked, he wouldn't be able to give such a casual answer.
"No." Zhao Xing shook his head. "After I arrived, I only killed the bandits. I didn't search the area. Instead, I immediately sealed it off, and no one else was allowed to approach. The battle scene and the orders I gave are all recorded."
"Okay." Liu Wanliang nodded. As expected of Liu Tianning's apprentice, he was reliable in his work.
"This place has nothing to do with you anymore."
"No one will come to question you afterward."
Liu Wanliang made a promise.
Zhao Xing asked, "What about Sun Shizhao and Jiang Tian...?"
Liu Wanliang pondered for a moment and said, "They will inevitably be questioned, but don't worry, as long as they haven't done anything wrong, there won't be any problems."
Twin Islands are crucial to Zhao Xing's promotion, so Liu Wanliang certainly wouldn't allow Sun Shizhao and Jiang Tian to run into trouble.
"Thank you, sir." Zhao Xing breathed a sigh of relief.
He didn't ask any further questions and handed over all the official records to Liu Wanliang.
Then he informed Sun Shizhao and Jiang Tian to answer truthfully, and then returned to the Land Island.
An hour after Liu Wanliang arrived, the team sent by Chongming Prefecture also arrived.
As usual, the participants were to be questioned, but Zhao Xing was nowhere to be seen.
"Lord Liu," a Fourth Grade Civil Official looked at Liu Wanliang, "Zhao Xing, the Dragon Horse Overseer, was the key figure in killing the bandit leader. Why hasn't he come to report?"
"Inspector Yin," Liu Wanliang said, "I have already questioned Marquis Yuan Rang, and this is his report summary."
Liu Wanliang's revised report was Water Drop, and Yin Qiquan had nothing to criticize after reading it.
He could only find a problem out of nothing. "May I ask Lord Liu, Zhao Xing, the Dragon Horse Overseer Bureau, was only Sixth Rank official in the twenty-first year of the Jingxin Calendar, and he is still Sixth Rank official today. Even if he broke through to the Fifth-Rank Pure Yuan Realm, how could he kill Fourth Grade official?"
Liu Wanliang said, "Lord Yin has had extraordinary opportunities. In just ten years, he has risen Fourth Grade to become the Inspector of Chongming Prefecture, a fourth-rank official. He is exceptionally talented and has astonishing combat power. What's wrong with that?"
Yin Qiquan chuckled dryly, "Of course there's no problem, but where did he get all these enormous resources for his self-cultivation? I've investigated, and over the years he's purchased a lot of cultivation resources from the Military Realm, at exorbitant prices."
Liu Wanliang said, "It was a gift from the princess. Should you investigate the princess's assets?"
"I wouldn't dare," Yin Qiquan said with a forced smile. He was Liang King Faction, but he didn't dare to raise his knife against Princess Youruo. "I originally intended to ask as a matter of routine, but since Lord Liu has already asked, then there's naturally no problem."
"It's all thanks to Lord Liu passing by Twin Islands."
Liu Wanliang glanced at him. "Dare to oppose the imperial court? You're doomed."
Seeing that he could not gain any advantage, Yin Qiquan had no choice but to give up the entanglement, quickly close the case and file it, and leave with Golden Throat's body, the warship and other items.
After leaving Twin Islands, Yin Qiquan looked at the report materials, deep in thought, "Liu Tianning's disciple has been on Twin Islands for nine years. He has achieved such results, how come we didn't notice him before? Why did we overlook him before?"
"Forget it, he's only Sixth Rank Official Rank now. If he doesn't get an opportunity this time, he might not be so lucky next year when he gets promoted."
The higher the rank, the easier it is, because the mistakes made by subordinates can all be pinned on you!
As the Sixth Rank Left Director of the Dragon Horse Bureau, Zhao Xing was truly flawless; in terms of official duties, he could even be described as outstanding.
But if one is promoted to the Fifth Grade, things may not be so simple.
"That mad dog Liu Tianning is fixated on the Prince. I wonder if he'll still dare to be so arrogant after his disciple is destroyed." A blood-red glint flashed in Yin Qiquan's eyes as he threw all the materials into the brazier burning with black flames.
"The luck level has been restored to Evolution Five."
Inside the Jiujiang Grotto Heaven, Zhao Xing glanced at the panel and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
He used the Five Finger Heavenly Mandate method to deduce his own fate and discovered that this wave of misfortune had passed.
Liu Wanliang did not hide his meeting with Yin Qiquan from him. Combined with this sudden drop in luck, Zhao Xing also guessed some of the reasons.
"I guess Liu Tianning and the princess were collecting evidence of Liang King's crimes and found some real things," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
The matter of him insulting the Liang King is long past. This is not a continuation of the previous insult incident, otherwise he wouldn't have waited eight years to launch an attack.
At that time, it was after some back and forth between Rahu King and Liang King that a ruling was reached. King Feng said that the matter was over, and that was the end of it.
Now that this has happened, the only possible reason is Liu Tianning and the princess.
"In this turmoil, the internal enemies can only be dealt with by Old Liu and the princess. As long as I don't make any mistakes, there shouldn't be any major problems. Farming means there are far fewer mistakes that can be made compared to other organizations."
"What I need to be wary of are external enemies like Golden Throat," Zhao Xing pondered.
If someone with powerful backers like Liu Tianning and Princess Youruo could still be killed by internal hostile forces, then the Great Zhou wouldn't just be in chaos, it would be doomed. We haven't reached that point yet.
He didn't need to worry about political infighting at all; even if the sky fell, Liu Tianning and his partner would hold it up.
Despite the chaos, food still had to be eaten. Since the Golden Throat attack, Zhao Xing continued his daily self-cultivation and training of his battle beasts in preparation for next year's Beast Competition.
In December of the 29th year of the Jingxin Calendar, Zhao Xing's Pure Origin Soil had been planted with 60 kinds of fifth-order plants, covering an area of more than 30,000 square meters, and was completely filled.
Now, he is only missing the requirement of large tree-like plants to meet the First Tier of Old Liu's requirements, which is also the only difficulty.
For large trees, weaker plants simply won't meet the requirements, and it's not in Zhao Xing's nature to try and get away with it. He prefers stronger plants, which have a longer lifespan. This is because he doesn't just plant one tree; he plants several.
With his strength development entering a period of stagnation, Zhao Xing decided to try his luck at the Great Dream Academy one more time.
He left Jiujiang Grotto Heaven and found a desolate place in Jiujiang County, Earth Escape underground to a depth of 5,000 meters. He specially created an underground space there.
The Great Dream Academy is located in the East Sea and cannot be entered because the Purple Firmament Islands were part of the Vast Sea during the Great Li era and were not part of the territory of the Nineteen Provinces.
He discovered this when he was preparing to break through to the Fifth Grade in the twenty-seventh year of the Jingxin Calendar.
In the end, we returned to Dongyang County in Bixian County before entering, but the harvest was relatively small that time.
Having passed the fourth trial of the Heavenly Craft Hall, the Yin-Yang Twin Fiends Formation Mountain, and overcome the four tribulations of earth, wind, fire, and thunder, I only obtained a low-grade sixth-tier defensive armor.
With no shortage of money or goods, and not having mastered all his spells to a high level, Zhao Xing didn't venture out again.
Furthermore, dealing with the treasures is troublesome once they're obtained, because Great Li's things are really hard to sell.
Zhao Xing didn't dare sell that sixth-grade low-level battle armor, nor did he dare bring it into reality; he could only store it with the Xiezhi.
It should be noted that the Great Dream Academy itself is a treasure, and it is currently stored in the Imperial Treasury.
There have been specialists researching the history of the Great Dream Academy and the Great Li. Trying to sell a bunch of Great Li's treasures to the Military Realm could easily lead to problems.
After all, it's not a low-level treasure anymore; it's a sixth-tier treasure, which is easy to detect.
Therefore, Zhao Xing could only go in and try his luck; it would be best if he could find something like the Fate Soul Pill or the Dao Embryo Pill.
The others are hard to sell, and they'd be too conspicuous to use. One or two pieces are understandable, but if they're all treasures from the Great Li era, they'd be too conspicuous. I can only keep them for now.
The right time to handle this is after leaving the Dragon Court Ancient Land, when it can be done openly and legitimately, turning it into one's own wealth.
"Buzz~"
Zhao Xing pasted the talisman on, closed his eyes, and muttered incantations.
Then they arrived at the familiar Cloud Gate.
"You're here again." The mechanical Law Beast Xie Zhi appeared at the entrance of the Heavenly Craft Hall. "You passed the fourth level last time and haven't been here for three years. I thought you were dead. Now it seems you went to train and have already reached the Pure Yuan Realm."
Zhao Xing cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Yes, Guardian, I am experiencing a turmoil. There are dangers, but also gains."
The mechanical Law Beast Xie Zhi possesses high intelligence. As he passes the fourth trial, Xiezhi's attention to him deepens, and it becomes concerned about his life outside.
Sometimes Zhao Xing even suspected that Xiezhi knew that Great Li had been destroyed, but he wasn't sure.
"It's good for young people to gain more experience. How can they become pillars of the nation without going through trials?" The Mechanical Beast Xie Zhi accompanied Zhao Xing as they walked through the main hall, just like an elder and a younger person chatting.
"The Guardian is right."
Standing before a long corridor shrouded in mist and murals, Xiezhi pointed and said, "Are you planning to attempt the fifth level now? You're at the Fifth-Rank Pure Yuan Realm, barely meeting the requirements to attempt the level."
"Yes, I plan to try the fifth level, the ' Heavenly Craft Tower '."
"I must remind you, you are unfamiliar with mechanisms. You will have to rely on tricks or brute force to pass the first few levels. The Heavenly Craft Hall, which I guard, is mainly for selecting genius Mechanism Master." The mechanical Divine Beast Xiezhi looked down at Zhao Xing.
"The challenges within the Heavenly Craft Tower involve the art of Mechanical Puppet. If you try to force your way through, it will be more difficult to pass the challenges, and the rewards will also be different."
"Please give instructions, Guardian."
The whiskers of the Xiezhi fluttered, Qidian the starlight. "The final reward within the Heavenly Craft Tower is a Ninth Order giant Mechanical Puppet, the ' Heavenly Divine General '."
Heavenly Divine General? Zhao Xing blinked. So the giant Mechanical Puppet that appeared during the reign of Wu Emperor was obtained from here.
"The Heavenly Divine General a thousand feet tall. It was forged using 108,000 pieces of Ninth Order materials and is capable of rivaling those of the Supreme Grade Realm."
"By passing the ninth floor, you can obtain this item and also become a candidate for Great Li Grand Craftsman Official."
"The highest reward on the eighth floor is the Earthly Divine General, which is also made from Ninth Order materials, but there are only half the number available."
"The highest reward on the seventh floor is Heavenly Soldier Puppet, a Ninth Order weapon."
"The highest reward on the sixth floor is Earthly Soldier Puppet, Ninth Order superior item."
"The highest reward on the fifth floor is the Nightmare Heavenly Dragon, an eighth-tier top-grade item."
"The highest reward on the fourth level is the Fighting Venerable, a high-grade eighth-rank title."
"The highest reward on the third level is Ten Thousand Transformations Dao Soldier, a Seventh Order weapon."
"The highest reward for the second level is Thousand Transformations Dao Soldier, Seventh Order superior weapon."
"The highest reward on the first level is the ' Sunlight Heavenly Maiden,' a top-tier sixth-rank item."
The mechanical Law Beast Xie Zhi introduced the rewards and then spoke of the trial, "Only those at the Pure Yuan Realm can participate, because driving these puppets requires Pure Yuan Magic Power."
"Before you start the challenge, you must make a choice: whether to use the Magic Array of mechanisms and formations to overcome the challenges, or to choose to break through the formations with brute force."
"The former does not require combat; it only requires cultivating the Heavenly Array Diagram and unraveling the mysteries of the layers of mechanisms Magic Array."
"The latter are mostly combat tests, with more stringent conditions for passing, and you cannot attempt levels above the seventh floor."
Zhao Xing nodded. The Heavenly Craft Hall was a test specifically for Mechanism Master, meaning that if he chose to break the magic with force, he could only obtain the Earthly Soldier Puppet at most.
However, it doesn't matter. When he becomes the Grand Minister of Agriculture, his interests will be aligned with Wu Emperor's. He can choose someone to inherit these treasures and then go to conquer the wilderness.
You don't need to control everything yourself; it's enough to control who uses it.
Why did he invest in Yue Lingzhi, this future master craftsman? It was premeditated.
Not only that, Zhao Xing also planned to promote him all the way to the position of Grand Craftsman Official. When the Great Dream Academy opened on a large scale, he would let him come and collect it. This was Zhao Xing doing him a great favor.
A great favor also carries great consequences. If one wants to accomplish something in the position of Grand Minister of Agriculture, having a Grand Craftsman Official personally trained by oneself will make things far more comfortable.
"I choose to break the magic with force," Zhao Xing said. He wouldn't be distracted by studying mechanisms Magic Array; the way of Agricultural Official was enough for him.
Even if he had the ability, he wouldn't learn it. He didn't want to end up like Liu Tianning. Too much distraction and trying to comprehend different paths would drive a person crazy.
"Alright, you can go in now." The Mechanical Beast Xie Zhi waved its long whiskers, scattering light and dispelling the mist.
"Boom!" The wall in front cracked open, revealing an endless starry sky. Beneath the starry sky, a tower stood on the grassland.
It is said to have nine stories, but the top of the tower seems to pierce the sky. Even the first story is a thousand meters high and is shrouded in a thin layer of clouds.
"Remember, if you find yourself unable to pass the level, immediately shout for the Guardian, and I will rescue you." The Mechanical Beast Xie Zhi's voice was deep. "You may get injured while trying to pass the level, so don't wait until you're at your limit to shout. By then, your Fate Soul might be severely damaged, understand?"
"Understood, thank you, Guardian." Zhao Xing nodded.
"Go."
Zhao Xing Xingteng flew over the gate and onto the grassland under the starry sky.
Whew~
He landed in front of the entrance to the first level of the Heavenly Craft Tower. The surrounding walls were incredibly smooth and radiated terrifying power.
Zhao Xing took a deep breath and stepped into the first level entrance.
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