The Second Mandatory Training Course: I Plant, You Eat!

"4. Scoring standard: Produce one thousand jin of Second Level Supplies per day to receive a base score of 100. The higher the supply grade and the greater the quantity, the more bonus points you receive."

"5. Ministers of Agriculture may obtain normal food themselves, but they may not consume pills or use treasures other than standard-issue equipment."

"6. Supply Training will last one month, with rankings determined by final accumulated points."

When the new mandatory training course was announced, the people of the Ministry of Agriculture became somewhat restless.

This kind of Supply Training had been experienced by many people in their former armies, but this one was clearly more difficult.

"Grow a thousand jin of Second Level Supplies in a single day? That means they have to be Second Order plants. Isn't that way too hard?!"

"Celestial Timing and Earthly Advantage have far too much influence. The environment is random—who knows what harsh conditions we might encounter?"

"It shouldn't be too harsh, right? If it's something like Five Suns in the Sky, with raging earthfire and not even any water, who could grow anything alive?"

"No food for half a month means direct elimination? Makes sense. If they don't get food for half a month, the martial artists will probably be starving down to skin and bones. What fighting strength would they have left?"

As Zhao Xing listened to the details of the second mandatory training course, he was not particularly surprised.

"I Plant, You Eat" was a classic training course for Military Sima Nong.

Farming was the primary duty of a Military Sima Nong.

Not only did Military Sima Nong need to know how to farm, but the standards were extremely strict.

Given the vast territory of Great Zhou, no amount of grain transported from the rear would ever be enough.

Who could endure a supply line stretching hundreds of thousands of kilometers?

Moreover, Ranked Martial Artists had astonishing appetites. If food could not be secured locally, transportation alone simply could not sustain them.

Equipping an army with Military Sima Nong was equivalent to equipping it with batches of mobile granaries!

Combat enhancements and the like were secondary. Solving the problem of feeding everyone was the key!

"As long as a Military Sima Nong carries a Wen Bamboo Box, and the environment is suitable, one Military Sima Nong can support an entire army."

"However, the environment cannot always remain suitable. Supply Training is meant to test the grain-production capabilities of Military Sima Nong under all kinds of conditions." Zhao Xing pondered. "This Supply Training will probably be comprehensive."

Since Celestial Timing and Earthly Advantage had both been mentioned, their influence would certainly be considerable.

"Within half a month, I must quickly master a Solar Terms Decree. As for Earthly Advantage faction arts, I also need to master the plant version of Earth Treasury Return to Origin."

During the period of Lawless Training, Zhao Xing had continued studying the three great secret manuals. His progress was not slow, but neither was it particularly fast. After all, his energy was limited.

While the Ministry of Agriculture announced the mandatory training contents,

someone on the Martial Office side was also addressing the crowd.

"The second mandatory training course is called Environment Training!"

"You will be thrown into all sorts of environments: high-temperature regions, miasma zones, Ice Cold areas... In every different environment, you must maintain high-intensity physical training."

"Throughout this process, you must also focus on cultivating the Gluttony Art."

"Because this period will also include Speed Eating Training, your food will be supplied by the Ministry of Agriculture."

"I can tell you plainly that most of the food grown by the Ministry of Agriculture this time will be extremely unpleasant, perhaps even poisonous. But that is precisely when you need to train the Gluttony Art!"

"There is not much time for you to eat on the battlefield. Sometimes, in order to survive, you may need to eat poisonous food. Yet you can still recover your stamina and vital energy. If an army recovers faster, the result of battle naturally changes as well. Even if there is slight poisoning or lingering aftereffects, they can be fully remedied afterward by physicians and pharmacists!"

"Therefore, you must finish the food produced by the Ministers of Agriculture within the allotted time. Whoever eats more, eats faster, and endures longer will score higher in Speed Eating Training!"

The martial artists below immediately pulled bitter faces.

Training in harsh environments was one thing, but even eating had to be trained?

Although food carrying a little poison could be swallowed after cultivating the Gluttony Art, the process would inevitably be painful.

"The cycle of karma is fair. Who has Heaven ever spared?"

"We beat up the Ministers of Agriculture for a month, and now it's their turn to torment us."

One short martial artist's expression changed. "Damn it, my Gluttony Art is only at the first layer. I won't be poisoned to death, will I? Say, does the Ministry of Agriculture's test provide nothing but poisonous, hard-to-digest food? Isn't there any normal food at all?"

"Wu Zheng already made it very clear. You still don't understand?"

"Only first layer? Brother, you're done for."

"Brother, don't do anything else for the next half month. Hurry up and cultivate the Gluttony Art. If you have points, buy treasures to improve quickly. If you don't, borrow some from your brothers in the army. Otherwise... you'll have it rough."

The people around him looked at him sympathetically.

The short martial artist said bitterly, "Great Zhou is no longer like it was in the Grand Ancestor's era. Resources and supplies have gradually become more abundant, and the Gluttony Art is no longer listed as a mandatory art in local armies. Who could have expected this... Sigh, what layer are you all at?"

"I'm at the second layer, but I can probably endure much more than you," said the tall martial artist. "At the second layer, digestion and detoxification improve greatly, and absorption efficiency for the vital energy in food also rises substantially."

"I'm already at the fourth layer. That counts as first-rate among us reservists. I entered the Black Tortoise Martial Division because of this art," said another bald martial artist with prominent cheekbones.

The others immediately looked at him enviously.

But the bald martial artist gave a wry smile. "Don't envy me. Do you know how much I suffered to reach the fourth layer?"

"The Gluttony Art is famously difficult to cultivate. Back then, in order to enter the Tigron Army, I attacked the fourth layer with the resolve to die."

"I really nearly died. When our general smashed open the door and sent me to the physician, my intestines had rotted through, all my teeth had fallen out, and blood was pouring from my seven orifices..."

"It was because I made a slight mistake in the dosage of one medicinal ingredient while using supplementary materials, causing severe problems in my cultivation."

"Later, although there were no major problems, I somehow stumbled into the fourth layer. But this hair will never grow back, and there are several scars on my scalp. Unless I reach Sixth Rank, I doubt I can recover."

Recalling the past, the bald martial artist could not help sighing with emotion.

"Damn, brother, you really are ruthless. You cultivated until your intestines rotted away. I'm convinced you deserve to enter the Black Tortoise Division." Someone nearby raised a thumb in admiration.

"Black Tortoise Shield on the outside, Gluttony Art on the inside. If you aren't invincible, who is?"

"Damn it, I-I'm going back to cultivate right now!" The short martial artist gritted his teeth and hurried away.

Xier County, Divine Might Army camp.

Inside the Marching Hall.

"Whoosh~" Flames rose, and a letter emerged from the fireplace.

A thick hand picked up the letter. Long Xiao called inward, "Old Chen, a letter's arrived."

"Then open it and read it. What are you shouting for?" Chen Shijie's voice came from within.

"Whoa!" Long Xiao opened the secret letter and immediately cried out, "That kid Zhao Xing is improving fast. He's already built the Heaven-Earth Spirit Bridge and entered the Eighth Rank Realm."

"Hmm? He also cultivated three soundwave martial skills, and Kui Ox Thunder Roar has reached Seventh-Turn?!"

"He even eliminated Fu Ying, one of the Martial Office's geniuses, once?! Good, good, good! Well done!"

"Let me see." Hearing Long Xiao mutter, Chen Shijie walked over. After taking the letter, he saw that it contained details regarding Zhao Xing's training in April.

However, this letter had not been written by Zhao Xing. It was sent by a colonel from the Divine Might Army stationed in the grotto heaven.

"Soundwave martial skill, Kui Ox Thunder Roar? It's already at Seventh-Turn. Where did this kid get so many points to cultivate it?" Chen Shijie said. "Even Grade A resources shouldn't be enough to buy so many supplementary cultivation materials."

Kui Ox Thunder Roar and the Gluttony Art both required precious materials for cultivation. Otherwise, reckless practice would cause serious problems.

"His master is Tian Hou. Tian Hou is famously rich," Long Xiao said. "You didn't even keep track of that?"

"True." Chen Shijie came to a realization. "Looks like Tian Hou gave him some help."

"You'd better work hard." Long Xiao laughed. "That kid has more talent than you. Don't let him surpass you by the time training ends."

"I'd be happy if he surpassed me." Chen Shijie smiled. "That would add another great general to the Marquis's ranks."

"Right, Colonel Huang said Zhao Xing wants us to ask around for someone named Mi Fu," Long Xiao said. "Who is Mi Fu? Do you know him?"

"Mi Fu?" Chen Shijie frowned and carefully reread the letter. "I don't know him. It doesn't say where he's from or what official rank he holds. How are we supposed to find him?"

"Didn't he say Mi Fu is skilled in the Condensation Art? He learned of this person while buying spell manuals."

"That's still like looking for a needle in the sea. Let's keep an eye out for him."

Fuchun Garden. On the day Zhao Xing finished the first mandatory training course, he went to Tian Yan's Fuchun Garden.

"You performed well last month. Whether in the Ministry of Agriculture or the Martial Office, many people praised you without reservation."

"I'm also very satisfied with your performance. I never expected you to improve so much in such a short time. There were only five Hundred Beast Throat Pills and Earthly Fiend Lung Refining Pills in total, yet you cultivated Kui Ox Thunder Roar to the Seventh-Turn level."

Tian Yan smiled and gave Zhao Xing rare praise.

Although Tian Yan was kind and generous by nature, he was also very strict with his disciples. Over the past month, Zhao Xing had come for guidance from time to time.

It was rare to hear praise from Tian Yan. For him to say this now proved that he was genuinely pleased.

During one month of Lawless Training, Zhao Xing had cultivated his soundwave martial skills to a high level, caught the attention of important figures, and been mentioned repeatedly.

As his teacher, Tian Yan naturally felt proud.

"You flatter me, Teacher. I spent quite a few points myself and relied on external help to cultivate Kui Ox Thunder Roar to Seventh-Turn," Zhao Xing said modestly.

"I know." Tian Yan nodded. "You spent points, but do others not spend them as well? Grade A resources are all more or less the same. I gave you a meeting gift, but other people's teachers give them gifts too."

"But you chose to cultivate Kui Ox Thunder Roar, which proves you are not afraid of hardship and possess high comprehension."

Zhao Xing listened quietly.

"Good performance is good performance. There is no need to be excessively modest," Tian Hou said. "For the next Supply Training, are you confident that you can hold onto a place in the top twenty-one?"

"I'm barely confident," Zhao Xing said.

He did not know what conditions he would encounter this time, so he did not dare make any guarantees.

Celestial Timing and Earthly Advantage were entirely random. He had yet to master a Solar Terms Decree, and his Earth Treasury Art still lacked the version meant for plant cultivation.

Among the twenty-one Grade A geniuses, he alone was the youngest. He had no practical experience from local postings and had not had much time to study the three great secret manuals.

"Don't merely scrape by. I'll give you another thirty thousand points' worth of items." Tian Yan smiled.

"Teacher, wouldn't this..." Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised. He did not even know whether what Tian Yan was doing was good or bad for him. Wouldn't people talk?

"Your circumstances are rather special," Tian Yan said. "I discussed this with several elders from the Earthly Advantage Institute and then applied to Fan Zhaoli for special approval. This is an exception made just for you."

"You had only just become a full official from a clerk when you were selected for transfer. Even with a weak foundation, you still passed the fourth stage."

"Ge Jinsong and Cheng Qingming from the Celestial Timing Academy may be blind, but I'm not."

"Giving you another thirty thousand points in support is nothing."

Hearing this, Zhao Xing immediately thanked him. "Thank you, Teacher, for nurturing me."

"You maintained Grade A performance, which is why I'm willing to give you this additional help. Otherwise, I would have trouble explaining it to those above," Tian Yan said.

"Remember, among more than ten thousand reservists, you must remain in the top twenty-one."

"You cannot slack off. Many people behind you are eyeing those twenty-one positions and want to push you down."

"If you fall, not only will your treatment be reduced, but it will also become difficult for me to look after you privately in the future."

"I understand, Teacher." Zhao Xing nodded.

"Go. Prepare well for Supply Training."

"Yes. This student will take his leave."

June 7th, Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard.

"Clop clop clop~"

Gao Ming came galloping over on a Bamboo Horse.

"Ah!"

Gao Ming let out an "ah" and then rode away.

Hearing the sound, Zhao Xing opened the courtyard gate and walked out.

All he saw was the dust kicked up by the Bamboo Horse.

"This Gao Ming is getting lazier and lazier." Zhao Xing muttered.

At first, when Gao Ming delivered goods, he would call out, "Zhao Xing, your package is here! I left it at the door!"

Gradually, it became:

"Package is here, at the door."

"At the door."

By today, only "Ah" remained.

"He isn't afraid of getting a bad review? Oh, right. There are no bad reviews here."

Zhao Xing carried the box inside.

He had not bought it himself. Tian Yan had bought it for him.

They were treasures worth thirty thousand points, specially allocated for a specific purpose—mainly to make up for Zhao Xing's shortcomings.

For the first treasure, Tian Yan had bought a Celestial Timing-related item—the Gale Wind Stone.

It was ore excavated from the Gale Wind Mountain Range within the Ten Suns Grotto Heaven.

Zhao Xing's Yang Wind Art had always been a weak point. Among the Four Seasonal Arts, Lesser Nine Heavens Astral Wind was only at Third-Turn.

"Yin wind and yang wind, yin lightning and yang lightning—the mastery of a Solar Terms Decree involves the convergence of the Five Elements, yin, and yang. If I want to master a Solar Terms Decree, I need to master all four arts."

Tian Yan bought eight fourth-grade Gale Wind Stones. They were relatively cheap, only two thousand points each.

"Aside from cloud qi, which has no yin-yang distinction, Rain Art has yin and yang as well."

"My Icy Rain freezes droplets into ice and causes a person's blood and qi to frost over. It can be considered a yin-aspect Rain Art."

Rain Water nourished all things, but Zhao Xing's Icy Rain was meant to kill. He now had too many offensive arts and too few supportive ones instead.

"However, I have quite a talent for the water element. Last month, I comprehended a mid-level Drizzle Art from the Rain Water Diagram. Although I never had time to practice it, I casually cultivated it to mid-level Sixth-Turn."

"Combined with Teacher's second gift, worth ten thousand points, it should help me make a breakthrough."

The second treasure Tian Yan gave him was also related to Rain Art. It was called the Spring Rain Spirit, a fourth-grade top-quality treasure preserved in a crystal case.

The third treasure was a fourth-grade high-quality Preaching Painting, also the plant version of Earth Treasury Return to Origin. It was worth four thousand points.

With the three treasures, Zhao Xing's spell progress improved rapidly.

On June 8th, Earth Treasury Return to Origin—Plant Art reached Seventh-Turn.

The plant version and human-path version of Earth Treasury Return to Origin shared the same methods of utilizing Earth Veins.

Zhao Xing also had the foundation of beginner-level Earth Veins Synthesis. Combined with the Preaching Painting, he reached the Seventh-Turn realm as soon as he comprehended it.

The Eighth Rank Realm mainly expanded the breadth of one's arts. Arts of the same type could generally be understood through one another.

With treasure assistance, naturally, they were easy to learn.

On June 9th, Zhao Xing used the Spring Rain Spirit. A fine, continuous rain fell from above, and a Yang Rain washed over Zhao Xing for a full twelve shichen.

It allowed him to experience the mysteries of the Yang Rain Art with his entire body and mind.

The Drizzle Art also broke through from Sixth-Turn to Nine Turns.

Starting on June 10th, Zhao Xing made a detailed plan for his cultivation.

"Starting today, I'll use the Gale Wind Stones to practice Lesser Nine Heavens Astral Wind for one shichen every day."

"One shichen of Earth Treasury Return to Origin."

"Two shichen of the Barren Condense Essence Art."

"And four shichen at the Celestial Timing Academy, comprehending the Solar Terms Monument."

"The remaining two hours would be spent cultivating the other spells."

Ten hours were devoted to cultivation.

Of the remaining two hours, one was used to review and sort through problems encountered during cultivation. If he had cultivated but the panel's progress had not increased, Zhao Xing could easily sense that this direction of cultivation was wrong.

Thus, reviewing and summarizing afterward was also important.

As for rest? With the Sleep Bug Art, one hour was barely enough.

Immersed in cultivation, time passed quickly.

In the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by.

June 22nd, Mao Hour.

Boom!

The familiar drumbeat rang out.

Zhao Xing jolted awake from his sleep.

The second mandatory training course had begun.

This time, however, there was no need to travel. They would gather directly at the Earthly Advantage Institute.

Fifty Flowing Cloud Flying Boats were parked in the square within the Earthly Advantage Institute.

The cabins of every flying boat seemed to already be full.

Zhao Xing used Five Elements Observation to sense them. Everyone aboard had vigorous qi and blood; they were clearly the warriors from each group.

"The fifty people of the Earthly Advantage Institute, choose a flying boat at random. Once chosen, you will proceed to the training site," Fan Zhaoli said. "Board quickly!"

Zhao Xing casually leaped onto a flying boat marked with the number 1, then entered the cabin.

"Hmm?"

The moment he entered, Zhao Xing saw the ten warriors inside.

There were several familiar faces among them.

"Chen Fang, Hu Bing, Zhang Jie... hmm?"

His gaze landed on the last man's face. He was handsome, with slightly raised brows that revealed confidence and calm, and deep eyes that seemed to shift with light.

Zhao Xing was all too familiar with this person. It was Xia Jing, who had knocked him down several times during the previous mandatory training.

"Brother Xia, it's you." Zhao Xing grinned, revealing a faint smile.

"That's right, it's me." When Xia Jing saw the Minister of Agriculture assigned to his group, he could not help but give a bitter smile.

There would be a third update before one o'clock.