To save time, the free question-and-answer sessions were held in small groups, with friends who shared the same questions seeking guidance together.
Xue Wenzhong moved through the crowd, explaining at times and having the junior officials demonstrate their techniques at others.
Wind gradually rose in the courtyard, clouds gathered, thunder rumbled, and fine rain fell. The place soon became lively.
As they waited, Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong grew restless and began teasing the colleagues practicing spells around them.
"Zhou, why does the wind you make always blow into people's crotches? Bet you've used that trick to torment quite a few young ladies."
"Brother Ye, your Thunderclap is pretty mediocre. It isn't even as loud as your snoring. You need to practice harder."
"Oh, Brother Cao's is the real impressive one. His Rainmaking is like a woman taking a piss—and it even splits into two streams... Hahahaha!"
"..."
Laughter rang out all around. Those being teased were not angered; instead, they teased one another in return, bringing a little amusement to their tedious cultivation.
But as the youths chatted, the topic gradually went off the rails and turned toward matters between men and women. The more they spoke, the more excited they became.
"During this year's Spring Sacrifice, I passed by a residence in Li Town and suddenly heard sounds from inside. A man was muttering and grunting, 'Baby, it's almost out. Put some more strength into it~' Then a woman complained coquettishly, 'Father-in-law is on top and I'm below. How am I supposed to exert any strength? Why don't we switch places?'"
"Curious, I went closer to take a look. Guess what I saw?" Qian Dong waggled his brows at the youths gathered around him, then deliberately paused to keep them in suspense.
"Ugh~ Father-in-law and daughter-in-law? Was it some old bastard sneaking around with his daughter-in-law? Brother Qian, stop right there. Don't foul our ears."
"Brother Cao, you were listening more intently than anyone just now, and now you're putting on an act? If you don't want to listen, move aside. I'm a common man—I like hearing this stuff."
"You're killing us here! Brother Qian, hurry up and tell us what happened."
The few of them chatted and laughed with great seriousness, but Zhao Xing could not help rubbing his forehead and shaking his head. Not because of them, but because Old Sima Nong, Xue Wenzhong, had somehow come up behind Qian Dong.
"What did you see?"
The sudden elderly voice gave the youths a fright. When Qian Dong turned around, his face went pale, then red, and he stammered, "N-Nothing."
The wrinkles on Xue Wenzhong's face piled together as he smiled without smiling. "They can hear it, but I can't? I insist on hearing it. Otherwise, none of you will get off easy. You'll all go to the back mountain and cut grass for this old man."
Qian Dong hemmed and hawed, Chen Ziyu avoided his gaze, and the others turned their heads aside. Only Zhao Xing watched the show as if it had nothing to do with him.
Seeing this, Xue Wenzhong called on him. "Zhao Xing. If they can't say it, then you tell me."
Zhao Xing replied unhurriedly, "Old Xue, what Qian Dong described was nothing unusual. The father-in-law and daughter-in-law were digging up a silver box left behind by their ancestors in a dry well. He was simply making a fuss over nothing."
"You're a clever boy." Xue Wenzhong gave a derisive smile.
Qian Dong immediately said, "Ah, that's what I was going to say."
"Yes, yes, that's what we understood too," the other youths hurriedly agreed.
Seeing that Old Sima Nong was not going to make things difficult for them, Qian Dong quickly changed the subject. "Old Xue, lately, whenever I use Cloudcalling, it always feels a little awkward. Sometimes it's large, sometimes small—it's extremely unstable. Please give me some guidance."
"Cast it and let me see."
Without hesitation, Qian Dong pointed upward. A gray-white cloud immediately appeared two meters above his head, swaying like an umbrella held by a drunkard.
After observing for a moment, Xue Wenzhong waved for Qian Dong to stop. "You can't properly contain your essence, so the effect of the spell fluctuates along with it."
Qian Dong listened obediently.
"But there's no need to worry. This is normal." Xue Wenzhong grabbed Qian Dong's hand and ran his fingers over his wrist twice before releasing it. "You are about to enter second order Essence Gathering. You only need one final push to break through."
"The same goes for the rest of you. Most of you are either about to encounter this or already have. But don't panic. Go back and properly contain your essence, and you'll be fine soon enough."
"Thank you, Old Xue."
"Hm?" When his gaze fell upon Zhao Xing, Xue Wenzhong let out a soft sound of surprise and pulled Zhao Xing's hand over.
The others did not understand and all looked over.
A moment later, Xue Wenzhong's brow relaxed, and he smiled.
"Not bad. You have indeed entered second order Essence Gathering. You're one step ahead of them."
The others looked at him enviously. Chen Ziyu was delighted for his elder brother, while Qian Dong secretly bumped his shoulder, wearing an expression that said he had known it all along.
Zhao Xing's expression remained calm. He had a panel, so he had known the instant he broke through. Unlike the other junior officials, he was not uncertain about his own condition.
Next, they took turns asking their questions. When it was Zhao Xing's turn, he mentioned that he had already obtained three new spells from the temple and asked Xue Wenzhong for guidance.
"Rising Wind feels much the same as Cloudcalling. Both use essence to gather qi, following the established spell routes to control the power of heaven and earth. Rising Wind is simply a little more difficult, as directions must be considered, so the casting process needs to be more precise. Try controlling it with one-third of the essence you use for Cloudcalling. Start with the north wind."
At those words, Zhao Xing immediately began casting.
Essence shot from his fingertips toward the north. Before long, wind began to blow.
It started as a breeze, then gradually grew stronger, blowing everyone's hair straight back.
Xue Wenzhong looked somewhat surprised. Zhao Xing's control over Rising Wind was extremely stable, and the wind was strong enough. He did not look like someone casting the spell for the first time at all.
If he were a beginner, their hair would have been flying wildly up and down, not blown straight back.
How had I never noticed that he possessed such talent?
Xue Wenzhong took it seriously and said, "Try the other directions."
Zhao Xing nodded lightly, pointing in turn toward east, south, west, and north. There was no one to the north, but junior officials were casting spells in the other directions, creating considerable interference.
However, the Dao Embryo Pill's transformation was already showing results. Zhao Xing's control over essence had become stronger than everyone else's, and he domineeringly forced aside all other interference.
At that moment, he was the only one in the courtyard who could summon wind whenever he wished. Everyone else could only stand disheveled in the gale.
"Good, that's enough." Satisfied, Xue Wenzhong had Zhao Xing stop.
The other junior officials had been puzzled, but seeing that the anomaly had come from Old Sima Nong's direction, they did not think much of it and continued their own cultivation.
Next, Old Sima Nong had Zhao Xing try casting Thunderclap.
"Cloudcalling contains the two qi of yin and yang, clear and turbid. Using essence to control the spell, when they weigh heavily, they become rain; when they merge, they produce thunder. The key lies in..."
Boom!
Before he could finish, a clap of thunder resounded through the courtyard.
It was so loud that it seemed to explode beside their ears.
This time, everyone in the courtyard looked over.
A gray-white cloud had appeared above Zhao Xing's head. Gray and white surged from either side, crashing together like colliding chariots.
The next moment, purple flashed, followed by another peal of thunder!
"Zi Yu, isn't your brother's Thunderclap a little too loud?" Qian Dong stared blankly at the sky.
"I think so too. Could the difference between the first and second stages of Essence Gathering really be this great?" Chen Ziyu was somewhat dazed, though the thunder had likely contributed to his shock.
Xue Wenzhong opened his mouth, but had nothing to say.
Everything he had just said had been unnecessary.
If Zhao Xing's application document had not been on his person, he would have thought Zhao Xing had practiced for a long time already.
Judging from these two spells alone, how did Zhao Xing look like a beginner?
"Old Xue, please instruct me." Zhao Xing withdrew his spell and waited for Xue Wenzhong's guidance. But the other man smiled and said, "You have considerable talent for Rising Wind and Thunderclap. You've already entered through the gate. What I have to say is nothing more than what I usually teach. With a little practice, you'll master them."
"As for the spell Every Tree and Bush an Enemy... come with me."
Before you continue