Sixth Level Soul Armor and Great Dream Spring and Autumn

As soon as Zhao Xing entered the Mechanical Maze, the two walls behind him closed, leaving him with no way out.

With a fingertip pointing to the sky, Golden Light disappeared into the air, vanishing directly behind the four-meter-high wall.

"As expected, Cloudcalling simply couldn't support such a high altitude."

Zhao Xing tried jumping again, but found that no matter how high he jumped, he could not exceed the height of the wall.

Of course, this does not mean that you cannot cast spells.

Instead, it can only be used inside the maze; it's impossible to take a shortcut and rely on the Cloudcalling to survey the entire area from the sky.

"See if there's anything we can use."

Zhao Xing randomly chose a side road and started walking down it.

The Mechanical Maze tests one's abilities, intelligence, willpower, and even interpersonal skills—it's a very comprehensive test.

The challenges Great Li used to cultivate elites were designed to be comprehensive in every aspect.

Therefore, this Mechanical Maze is difficult to navigate even with strength alone.

Unless you haven't even tried this before at the Fourth Grade, then you can use your strength to break through all the barriers and directly conquer this maze to obtain the reward.

"Buzz~"

Zhao Xing walked around a corner, only to find himself at a dead end.

Beneath the wall, a Mechanical Beast with red fur, resembling a goat, stared at him.

The goat's eyes were also red. The moment their eyes met, Zhao Xing trembled and then fell into a strange state.

"Baa~" Then the goat lightly jumped and disappeared into the distance.

"What bad luck! I ran into 'Inverted Sheep' right away?" Zhao Xing couldn't help but smile wryly.

The Inverted Sheep is a type of illusionary Mechanical Beast.

Once you fall under its illusion, you will enter a state of "going against the grain".

The mind is thinking of moving forward, but the hands and feet are actually moving backward.

He intended to cast Rising Wind spell, but what he actually cast was Thunderclap.

It intended to attack to the right, but instead attacked to the left.

"Bang!" Zhao Xing tried to turn back, but accidentally changed direction and crashed into the wall.

The intensity is just right; it leaves you dazed but not brain-damaged.

"It hurts so much." Zhao Xing wanted to cover his forehead, but his hand went to his genitals instead.

This feeling of going against the grain is incredibly unpleasant.

However, there was one thing to be happy about: the familiar feeling was back! He felt as if he had rediscovered the feeling of conquering dungeons in his previous life.

"I have the Inverted Sheep! Excellent, I'm determined to get this sixth-tier treasure!"

Zhao Xing began to adjust his state and quickly became familiar with the condition after the illusion surgery, and continued walking.

"Click click click~"

After turning a few corners, Zhao Xing suddenly heard the sound of a mechanism turning. He looked down and realized he had stepped into a trap.

The stone slab beneath his feet had dented, and on the wall in front of him, a lightning rod inlaid with a blue gemstone was poised to strike.

"Hmph, a mere trick."

Zhao Xing squatted down and tapped on several floorboards around him. Then, he pried up a uniquely shaped piece from a loose floorboard.

Then he trapped it under his feet.

I lifted my foot, but the lightning rod still didn't react.

Zhao Xing walked over slowly.

In the next fifteen minutes, Zhao Xing encountered all sorts of traps: fire-breathing traps, stone-dropping traps, traps that fired hidden arrows, and even illusionary Mechanical Beast.

The maze is entirely composed of a series of mechanisms.

All the mechanisms follow one principle: to interfere with, hinder, and mislead those attempting the challenge, thus delaying their progress.

"It is said that the Mechanical Maze was created by the geniuses of the Great Li Heavenly Crafting Dao Academy, who continuously added bricks and tiles and contributed fresh ideas to the maze."

"Anything adopted by the academy will be rewarded."

"This has led countless geniuses to rack their brains to add traps and mechanisms to this place, wishing they could lay a hundred Rolling Ground Thunder on every single brick."

"They make things difficult for people in every way possible... It's truly a sin."

Zhao Xing wiped his palms and noticed they were red and swollen, so he couldn't help but sigh.

Although he could be considered "experienced," he still fell into quite a few traps along the way.

My vision blurred and the surroundings darkened.

Just now, in order to avoid six interconnected traps, he accidentally braced his hand against the wall.

Turns out, that son of a bitch had a seventh ring, which was covered in a layer of Eye Obscuring Powder.

"However, the more mechanisms there are, the closer I am to what I want. Once I find the items on this floor, things will be much easier."

Zhao Xing went down one flight of stairs, and the surrounding walls seemed to become lower as well.

Although he was blind, it did not hinder his movement.

By casting Rising Wind spell, the feedback from the wind makes everything around you clearly visible in your mind.

"Found it!"

A slight smile appeared on Zhao Xing's lips. He then took two steps back and hid in a blind spot on the steps.

Whew~

The spell of Rising Wind was directed at a table in front of them, and the wind blew up a piece of Yellow Paper on it.

"Oh ho ho ho!"

The table seemed to come alive, making strange noises incessantly, as if the ground was burning hot, and its four legs bounced around wildly.

"Table Monster, don't run away!"

Zhao Xing shouted, and the Mechanical Beast that resembled a table suddenly charged towards him.

As it rushed over, it even changed shape, with many sharp spikes growing on the tabletop and legs.

"Bang!"

The incredibly fast tabletop Mechanical Beast crashed into the wall.

Because Zhao Xing hid in the corner between the steps and the wall, the table-shaped Mechanical Beast got stuck.

The spikes on it were only half a finger's width away from Zhao Xing.

"Hmph, such a trivial mechanism, how laughable!"

Zhao Xing reached out and tore off a piece of Yellow Paper that was pasted on the table.

"Splash!"

The table immediately and automatically shattered into a pile of parts.

"A hybrid talismanic Mechanical Beast, to be able to make something like this, you're a real genius." Zhao Xing thought to himself as he rummaged through the pile of fragments.

Soon, Zhao Xing found a silver-white bead among the parts.

[Illusion Bead: Special Item]

[You can transform into one of the ten people you have recently come into contact with.]

[Transformation Limit: Spirit Bridge Completion]

"You're the one."

Zhao Xing smiled slightly.

Then he crushed the bead.

As soon as the bead was crushed, a series of lights and shadows appeared before Zhao Xing's eyes.

Xue Wenzhong, Chen Shijie, Zhao Ruide, Zhao Zheng, Madam Cai... etc., please don't mention Madam Cai!

Zhao Xing was startled when he saw the light and shadow pause above Madam Cai.

He immediately tried to recall Chen Shijie's appearance.

Fortunately, the light and shadow moved on and focused on Chen Shijie.

"Buzz~"

The light and shadow coalesced, and Chen Shijie appeared before us.

"Phew~" Zhao Xing breathed a sigh of relief.

The character formed by the special item, the Illusion Bead, will be entirely based on the character relationships you have in mind.

In other words, the user's inner thoughts about the person's strength, personality, and relationship with the user will all be restored.

What if the ten people you've recently come into contact with are all your enemies?

The conjured figures are not helpers, but obstacles, and they will even attack the user.

Of the ten people Zhao Xing has recently met, only Old Chen fits his criteria.

Next, you'll need a certain level of combat ability to escape the labyrinth full of traps.

If he were to actually meet a Madam Cai, he could simply declare himself a failure.

"What's wrong with you, kid? Why are you in such a weird place? Huh? Are you blind?" Chen Shijie asked curiously as soon as he appeared.

"Stop asking, Old Chen, hurry up and get to work."

This was certainly not the real Chen Shijie, but rather a figment of Zhao Xing's imagination of Chen Shijie.

"What did you call me?" Chen Shijie frowned.

"Lord Chen," Zhao Xing quickly corrected himself, "Please lend me a hand, Lord Chen."

"Hmph, that's more like it." Chen Shijie turned around and cleared the way for Zhao Xing.

Chen Shijie displayed the strength of Official Eighth Rank expert. With his help, the speed of clearing the next level increased significantly. He also knew several mid-level perfect-grade spells.

Their reaction time, intelligence, and adaptability are all excellent.

As for whether the real Chen Shijie was that powerful?

Zhao Xing didn't know, but he guessed that Old Chen was really that strong, even stronger than he had imagined.

Deep down, he truly believed that Chen Shijie must have at least the strength of Official Eighth Rank official.

The knowledge and insights Zhao Xing gained from their conversation alone far surpassed what a Ninth-Rank could possess.

Although Chen Shijie claimed to be the Earthly Advantage Faction Shennong, he also had great insights into other magical arts. He was quite comprehensive in Military Sima Nong, and Old Chen was one of the best among them.

"Assuming the real-life Old Chen is really that capable, why would he be assigned to such a minor official position in Nanyang County?"

Zhao Xing watched Old Chen's retreating figure, then quickly squatted down.

Chen Shijie, who was ahead, was bombarded in turn by the seven triggered mechanisms.

"Cough, cough... What kind of lousy place is this? Why are there so many traps?" Chen Shijie emerged from the smoke, his hair disheveled, coughing incessantly.

Zhao Xing looked up and patted Chen Shijie on the shoulder as he passed him. "Thanks, Old Chen."

"Are you asking for trouble, kid? You're calling me again..."

Chen Shijie bristled, but before he could finish speaking, he vanished in a flash of light.

Zhao Xing then walked into a circular room ahead.

The surrounding light dimmed, and doors flashed past him.

"The five elements are in phase, with Qian (☰) advancing and Kan (☵) exiting."

Zhao Xing observed for a moment, then entered through the Qian gate, and indeed came out through the Kun gate, returning to his room.

One of the surrounding doors disappeared, but a new one quickly appeared.

And different changes have occurred.

Lightning flashed from the door, and the lightning, like tentacles, spread into the room.

A golden sword slowly emerged from inside the door, pressing Zhao Xing's position.

Zhao Xing glanced at the door that was emitting fire.

"Taking chestnuts out of the fire might offer a glimmer of hope for survival."

He then charged into the flame gate.

The next moment, he returned to the room.

At this moment, the surrounding portals rotated again, and roars of beasts came from behind them.

Zhao Xing examined it carefully for a moment.

He smiled and looked at one of the signs, "The roar of the Qilin heralds the arrival of an auspicious beast."

Then he stepped into the portal of light.

The next moment, Zhao Xing reappeared in the room.

At this point, only four light gates remained.

It was still spinning, but the aura emanating from it had become much gentler.

"Spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the gates of the four seasons."

"The final hurdle."

"Enter through the spring gate, exit through the Autumn Gate."

"A fleeting moment in time, like a dream, an illusion."

Zhao Xing stepped into a green light and then emerged from a golden gate.

"Buzz~"

The strange phenomena around him disappeared, and the thick fog rolled in. When Zhao Xing looked up again, he was already standing in front of the Xiezhi.

"Student Zhao Xing has passed through the Mechanical Maze in less than an hour and is awarded a sixth-tier 'Soul Armor' Divine Soldier."

Then, the Law Beast Xie Zhi spat out a dark-colored suit of armor.

The armor gleamed as it flew over, and Zhao Xing caught it with his hand. The armor then flowed down his skin, covering his entire body like water.

"The Sixth Level Soul Armor is a subsidiary of the peerless divine Divine Soldier 'Sun Illuminates the Sky.' Although it is only sixth-tier, its soul protection effect is no weaker than that of the Seventh Order, and it is absolutely indestructible. The attack power of Fourth Grade weapon will also be reduced by 90%."

"Below the Fourth Grade, it has a reflect effect on soul-type spells and attack techniques."

The Xiezhi was explaining.

"Thank you for protecting me." Zhao Xing also noticed the special nature of the Soul Armor; it felt warm all over its body. It was a sense of comfort and security that came from its soul.

"Sixth Level Soul Armor, which comes with the first chapter of the State Religion's secret technique; you must not reveal it."

"If someone becomes aware of the existence of the Soul Armor and then leaks it."

"Don't worry, unless you die, no one will know about the Soul Armor," Xiezhi said calmly. "If you die, the court will avenge you, reclaim the Soul Armor, and exterminate all those who know about it."

Zhao Xing nodded silently. Although this Mechanical Beast Xiezhi was intelligent and could communicate, it was limited to the Heavenly Craft Hall. It did not know that Great Li had perished.

"It's almost dawn. Your soul is too weak. Go out."

Then, with a gentle Xiezhi, Zhao Xing immediately withdrew from the Heavenly Craft Hall and retreated to the gate of the Great Dream Academy.

I opened my eyes, and the familiar mosquito net came into view.

Zhao Xing touched his pocket and found a pair of pendants and three pills.

Among them are two fourth-tier pills, namely the Five Viscera Evil Purging Pill and the Giant Whale Pill, and a third-tier pill Earthly Fiend Pill.

As for the sixth-tier treasure, the Soul Armor, it is integrated into the body and directly protects the Sea of Consciousness.

A sixth-tier treasure is still a worldly treasure. Although it is unique, it cannot be called Divine Soldier and does not have the magical effect of integrating into the body.

However, it is a subsidiary of the peerless treasure "Sun Illuminates the Sky", so it has the same effect as Seventh Order "Divine Soldier" and can be directly stored in the body.

"The Sun Illuminates the Sky... I wonder if this Divine Soldier is still in the Great Dream Academy." Zhao Xing thought to himself. In the era of the Dynasty of Fate, there were several peerless treasures that transcended their time.

They were passed down from ancient times, but due to the dormancy of spiritual energy, they lost most of their power, and only regained their brilliance in the era of revival.

Given the chance, Zhao Xing would certainly want to obtain the original body of the Soul Armor.

"The Xiezhi said that at the end of the Heavenly Craft Hall's checkpoint lies a rare treasure, which shouldn't be the Soul Armor Mother. I don't know where it is."

The biggest gain from this challenge was undoubtedly the Sixth Level Soul Armor.

And the Nightmare Sect's ultimate technique, "The Great Dream Spring and Autumn," which is attached to the Grade A.

Of course, the Giant Whale Pill, Earthly Fiend Pill, and Five Viscera Evil Purging Pill are also very good, and you can see immediate results when you take them.

Every time he entered the Academy, he gained huge rewards. Zhao Xing couldn't help but sigh:

"This is truly a treasure trove. If we make good use of this wealth, surviving until the recovery era might not be so difficult."

After the Autumn Equinox harvest, the officials have two days off.

Zhao Xing didn't need to go to work; he could just stay home and enjoy the benefits.

He doesn't need the Earthly Fiend Pill for now, because it needs to be used in conjunction with the method of refining evil to maximize its effectiveness, and the same goes for the Five Viscera Evil Purging Pill.

As for the Giant Whale Pill, it took him a whole day to digest it.

"After taking this pill, I feel as full as if I ate a whale." Zhao Xing moved around in the courtyard, his face rosy.

Zhao Zheng looked at his older brother and found it amazing. He could run and jump all day without needing to eat. His older brother was simply incredible!

Zhao Ruide was somewhat surprised, because he felt that Zhao Xing had changed a lot that day.

It can be judged mainly from the breath.

In the morning, Zhao Xing's breathing and Essence Gathering circulation were normal.

But at night, his breathing became extremely long, and the speed at which Essence Gathering into his body increased significantly.

"I've seen many martial artists Ranked Realm such physiques, but this is the first time I've seen Ranked Realm Agricultural Official with such a physique. I wonder what he went through on the mountain." Zhao Ruide thought his son had had some kind of adventure on the mountain.

It's no longer accurate to say that Zhao Xing is as strong as an ox; he's as strong as an elephant.

"If he practices martial arts, he could probably Ranked Realm." Zhao Ruide couldn't help but sigh. In comparison, Zhao Zheng was almost eight years old and hadn't shown any talent for martial arts at all. Moreover, he was quite lazy, which was really a headache.

That evening, Zhao Xing lay in bed and began to cultivate "The Great Dream Spring and Autumn".

"The Nightmare Sect is the national religion of Great Li, and the Great Dream Spring and Autumn is a classic and unique skill." Zhao Xing had a deep memory of this unique skill because it made extremely sophisticated use of 'dreams'.

Although the unique skills of the sectarian era are not as powerful as they once were in this era, "The Great Dream Spring and Autumn" is an exception.

Techniques like "Killing in Dreams" and "One Dream World" are still quite powerful even in this era. They're definitely transitional superpowers.

"Humans have Three Souls: the Heavenly Soul, the Earthly Soul, and the Fate Soul."

"The two souls of Heaven and Earth are always outside, while only the Fate Soul resides alone in the body."

"After the Fate Soul resides in the womb, its potential is distributed throughout the physical body, forming the Seven Po of a person."

"The Heavenly Soul is the Rebirth Soul, and the Earthly Soul is the Karma Soul."

"When the two souls of Heaven and Earth wander outside, they interact with the Fate Soul in a certain way, which is called 'dream'."

"That's why people dream of places they've never been to, places that seem familiar, people they dream of with whom they have a strong karmic connection, and even experience strange sensations."

"For example, if a relative who lives far away on the frontier passes away, you may dream about it before the news reaches you."

"For example, in a dream, I recalled conversations with my childhood playmates."

While studying the Dream Entry Chapter the Great Dream Spring and Autumn Annals, Zhao Xing came across several interesting interpretations.

"The introductory chapter of the Great Dream Spring and Autumn has two stages: the first is dream interpretation, and the second is Entering the Dream."

"Only when you can Entering the Dream anytime, anywhere, and control others to Entering the Dream as well, can you be considered to have truly entered the door."

"After the introduction, the second chapter, 'Dream Walking,' will be presented."

"At that time, I will be able to walk in other people's dreams and take advantage of the moment when the Three Souls meet to sever a person's Three Souls."

"Once the Three Souls perish, the Seven Po of the body lose their dominance and become nothing more than walking corpses, not far from death."

Zhao Xing browsed through the Dream Entry Chapter of this Great Dream Spring and Autumn.

Suddenly, several spells in the Dream Entry Chapter caught his attention.