Earth Palace Art, Earth Treasury Art, Ten Thousand Arts Cloud Chart

The scroll was pulled out, and next to it was a small piece of paper, similar to an instruction manual.

"A mid-grade fourth-tier Earthly Advantage Faction spell, containing Earth Palace Art, which can be learned 4 times."

Zhao Xing glanced at the instruction manual, then put it aside.

Xue Wenzhong showed him a Lower Fourth Tier Preaching Painting, "The All Things Growth Chart," which belonged to the fundamental principles of magic of the True Self Faction and had a wider scope of comprehension.

What Zhao Xing has obtained now are all specialized Preaching Painting, which can guarantee that he will comprehend a certain type of magic.

"Young Master Zong really put his heart into it. Preaching Painting of the Earth Palace Art are rare, and their acquisition difficulty is second only to the Mystic Earth Art." Zhao Xing opened the scroll with some anticipation.

The impact of using a mid-grade fourth-order Preaching Painting for the first time was even greater than that of viewing Lower Fourth Tier All Things Growth Chart."

Zhao Xing's gaze fell upon the painting, and he was immediately captivated.

"Buzz~"

When the eyes see it, the mind is drawn into it.

"Hoo hoo~"

Falling~

Endless falling~

Zhao Xing felt his body become incredibly heavy.

It is falling at an alarming speed.

During the descent, there was a strong squeezing force all around, as if drowning. The deeper you went underwater, the stronger the pressure from the water became.

However, this feeling of oppression is different from that of drowning, where at least you can feel that the water around you is still gentle.

But now, that sense of oppression is sluggish, carrying a painful, tearing feeling.

After an unknown amount of time, the First Tier of the fall finally ended.

Zhao Xing slammed heavily onto a hard surface, his body bound by force, unable to move.

He lay on the ground, barely managing to lift his head, and saw a Bright Palace emitting a faint glow in front of him.

"The Earth Palace."

Zhao Xing was irresistibly drawn to the illusory palace.

The palace was enormous, but its foundation was not built on the ground; rather, it sat on a blue river.

"Those are Earth Vein."

Zhao Xing understood something.

He lay there on the ground, observing the Earth Vein and the Earth Palace.

The Earth Vein are hidden deep within, making them difficult to sense on the surface, but they can be clearly seen underground, especially in this scene.

The Earth Vein are not only clearly visible, but they are also flowing and very active.

The Earth Vein are of extremely high quality, and this Earth Palace seems to have formed naturally from the active flow of the Earth Vein.

Its profound mystery made Zhao Xing, who was lying on the ground, completely forget the restraints and oppression, and he became obsessed with watching the flowing Earth Vein.

"The Earth Vein merely flow naturally, yet their pathways actually form a palace?"

"Truly a masterpiece."

"Um?"

As Zhao Xing began to understand, the ground beneath him began to shift, pulling him rapidly toward the Earth Palace.

"Bang!"

His whole body seemed to shatter, absorbed by the flowing blue Earth Vein.

At this moment, the 'perspective' disappeared, leaving only a strange feeling.

It seemed to have become part of the Earth Vein, flowing with Earth Vein, and in the process of this flow, it became part of the Earth Palace.

"Vast, heavy, and boundless, this Earth Palace is just too big."

At this moment, Zhao Xing realized the most fundamental characteristics of the Earth Palace.

Sometimes it turns into a handful of soil, sometimes into a supporting pillar, and sometimes into a brick or tile of the Earth Palace...

I don't know how much time passed.

"Buzz~"

All the scenes quickly faded away, and Zhao Xing felt himself leave the Earth Vein Earth Palace.

Consciousness returned in an instant.

"Incredibly wonderful."

After leaving, Zhao Xing did not look at the painting, but subconsciously stretched out his fingertip, and a Golden Light shot into the ground.

After waiting for fifteen minutes, a second signal was issued.

After that, the intervals between each track became shorter and shorter.

Between the eighteenth and twenty-fourth strikes, they were almost launched in quick succession.

"So that's how it is, the Boundless Earth Palace, this is the Boundless Earth Palace..."

Zhao Xing smiled; it was a heartfelt joy at having grasped the true Dharma.

"Buzzing~"

At this moment, the side room of the Listening Water Pavilion suddenly began to shake.

"Click click click~"

Cracks suddenly appeared in the surrounding walls.

The floor cracked rapidly, and the beams and pillars supporting the side rooms also cracked quickly, as if they could not bear the weight.

"Oh no, it's going to collapse."

Zhao Xing immediately rolled up the painting and the box and ran out quickly.

The instant he ran out.

"Boom!"

The side room of the Listening Water Pavilion collapsed with a crash, turning into rubble and ruins in an instant.

Moreover, it was extremely fragmented; not even a complete tile or piece of wood could be found.

"What's wrong? What's wrong? Is it an earthquake?"

Zong Shichang walked over carrying the Mountain Cat.

Steward Tang and several servants also rushed over quickly.

"I'm sorry, Young Master Zong," Zhao Xing said apologetically, "I've knocked your house down."

"It's nothing, just a side room... wait a minute." Zong Shichang's eyes widened. "You're saying you collapsed this? This is top-quality red pine! The foundation is solid and very secure!"

"It was indeed a bit of an accident... Hey, don't go over there!" Zhao Xing Xingzheng said, just as one of the servants from the Zong Residence ran towards the ruins, seemingly to check.

But as soon as he walked over, he knelt down with a pained expression, his breathing became labored, and finally, as if overwhelmed, he collapsed to the ground.

"Disperse!" Zhao Xing immediately pointed, causing the spell to dissipate.

"Huff~ Huff~ Hah~" The servant stood up, panting heavily. His face was flushed, and when he unbuttoned his clothes, he saw that blood was seeping from the pores of his body.

"This..." Zong Shichang was stunned. His servants were all martial artists at the fourth or fifth level of the Essence Gathering, and they were not some duds.

How did it turn into this as soon as I got close?

"His internal organs are injured. Do you have any medicinal herbs here that can nourish the organs? Give them to him." Zhao Xing used the Five Elements Observation to examine the body and could see that the man's internal organs had shifted slightly and there were some minor wounds.

"That serious?" The martial artist was terrified. He was feeling much better now, but he never expected that his internal organs had been damaged.

Trust me.

"Uncle Tang, take him to get treatment." Zong Shichang naturally trusted Zhao Xing.

After everyone had dispersed, he asked curiously, "What kind of method is that?"

"One of the Earth Palace Art is called the [Boundless Earth Palace]."

Zhao Xing explained, "This spell uses the Earth Vein as its foundation to create a magical Earth Palace that can capture all external objects. When the Earth Palace Art is practiced to a high level, it can even capture gods and demons."

"Legend has it that there is a method called 'Demon God Earth Palace', which can capture powerful gods and demons and trap Earth Palace to death or train them to death."

"After refining the gods and demons, they can be used as nutrients for plants to absorb."

"Such magic exists?" Zong Shichang's eyes widened. "How come I didn't know?"

There are many things you don't know... Zhao Xing thought to himself.

"Ancient legends, of course, are exaggerated as much as possible," Zhao Xing said casually. "The Earth Splitting Art, the Earth Treasury Art, the Earth Palace Art, and the Mystic Earth Art, known as the Four Sacred Methods of the Earthly Advantage Faction, are all related to Earth Vein and legends of gods."

"What effect does this Boundless Earth Palace have?" Zong Shichang asked.

"As you can see," Zhao Xing pointed to the ruins of the house, "Its ability to absorb pressure is enough to crush people and objects entering the Earth Palace area."

Zong Shichang took a look and saw that, sure enough, the foundation of the side room had sunk a bit, making it three feet lower than the surrounding area.

There wasn't a single good tile or brick to be found in the ruins; they all looked as if they had been crushed.

"You're becoming more and more like Military Sima Nong," Zong Shichang remarked. What proper Agricultural Official would know such magic? "Are you planning to join the army?"

"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded. "I have that idea."

"The Military Sima Nong is not easy to obtain," Zong Shichang said. "When you take office in Nanyang County, you will only be considered Civil Sima Nong. To go to the military, you will have to go through different selection processes depending on the rank of the army."

"Even if you get in, your Official Rank will still start from the Sub-Ninth Rank. Besides, I've heard that the conditions for the Military Sima Nong are harsh, and they often have to go to those cold and desolate places to work. Your acceptance of the official position is already a done deal, so why bother going through that hardship?"

Zong Shichang said, "Nowadays, it's easier and more comfortable to Civil Official."

"Find a fertile and stable place to serve as the Agricultural Official. There will be no natural disasters, and you won't have to do much work, because the weather and environment will be good, and the harvest will naturally be plentiful."

"Just coast along for a few years, pull some strings with everyone, and wait for a promotion. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Most scions of Noble Families follow this path. Zong Shichang is a typical example of Noble Families scion. He simply cannot understand why Zhao Xing would choose to become the Military Sima Nong.

"Everyone has their own ambitions," Zhao Xing said with a smile. "What you've described is certainly a path, but it's not suitable for me."

There are only so many lucrative positions available. How could an ordinary person, without connections or financial resources, possibly get such a good job?

It's stable, but too stable; the rate of growth is too slow.

Furthermore, during this period, Di Yi exploiting the Noble Families, so it was no longer feasible for him to follow this path peacefully.

"Alright, I'll find you another room." Zong Shichang didn't say anything more.

"Just find an open-air spot." Zhao Xing followed.

[You have observed the fourth-tier mid-grade Preaching Painting 'Earth Palace Void Image' and comprehended the mid-grade spell 'Boundless Earth Palace'. Remaining comprehension attempts: 3]

[Boundless Earth Palace: Intermediate-Tier Spell]

[Progress: Third-Turn (3548/9999)]

[Effect: Creates Boundless Earth Palace based on the Earth Vein, releasing a powerful agglomeration force that can be stacked up to three times.]

"As expected of a mid-grade fourth-tier Preaching Painting." Zhao Xing nodded in satisfaction.

Why did he buy Preaching Painting instead of going to the temple to receive the Dharma?

That's the reason.

Receiving spells at the temple is random; it's impossible to Wish Fulfillment what you want. Some spells are unavailable because they have certain thresholds; for example, some spells can only be learned by specific Official Rank.

Secondly, receiving the Dharma at the temple is only the first step; some people with poor talent can't even get through the door.

Preaching Painting are different; they are highly targeted. If you want to learn a certain spell, you are more certain with Preaching Painting.

Secondly, there are the Preaching Painting that convey the Dao, which encapsulate the insights into the Dao. Studying these Preaching Painting can not only help one get started, but those with good talent can even quickly skip the beginner stage and directly advance their spells to several levels.

After more than half a year of transformation by the Dao Embryo Pill, Zhao Xing's comprehension, talent, and physical constitution have achieved near-maximum efficiency in creating this Preaching Painting.

"This money was well spent," Zhao Xing said with great satisfaction.

The Earth Palace Art is equivalent to creating a domain.

Within the Boundless Earth Palace's protective area, enemies will find it extremely difficult to move, their speed will be drastically reduced, and it's as if they are fighting under three times the force of gravity.

Its speed and energy consumption will increase significantly, its techniques will also change, and its combat power will be greatly reduced.

"Advanced Earth Palace Art can instantly absorb any spell cast into the Earth Palace, making it impossible to hit anyone. In the end, it can even absorb gods and demons and turn them into nourishment... I want to keep practicing this technique to the next level," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

The Preaching Painting of the Earth Palace Art has three more opportunities to comprehend. After that, no new types will be comprehended, but the understanding of the [Boundless Earth Palace] will continue to be enhanced, raising the realm and allowing for specialized use of the method.

Zhao Xing put the painting away, knowing that the effectiveness of understanding it in a short time would be somewhat reduced, so he decided to learn other things first.

"The second painting, a mid-grade fourth-level work, Earth Treasury Art."

Zhao Xing opened the painting, and a vast expanse of land immediately appeared before his eyes.

The earth was yellowish-gray, and countless mountains and rivers, like lines, intertwined and flowed before my eyes.

This seems to be a bird's-eye view from above... Zhao Xing thought to himself.

But he immediately realized something was wrong.

"Hmm? Why does he look so familiar?"

Zhao Xing pondered, carefully observing the yellowish-gray lines.

A moment later, Zhao Xing suddenly realized.

The perspective shifted from high above to the ground.

When he appeared on the ground, Zhao Xing found himself completely naked, with his feet firmly planted in the soil.

Then he slowly sank in, leaving only his head above the surface.

Warmth, moisture, and waves of vitality surged from underground.

"I am a tree."

Zhao Xing's mind was completely filled with this thought. At first, he couldn't immerse himself in it, but gradually, he really felt like he had become a tree, with countless streams of life seeping into his pores.

He began to thrive in the ground.

As he 'grew', his body slowly moved out of the ground and finally stood on the ground, with only his feet still touching the ground.

"Buzz~"

The observation session has ended.

Zhao Xing came to his senses.

"No wonder it felt so familiar, it turns out it's the 'humanized version' of the Earth Veins Synthesis."

Zhao Xing looked at the record on the panel.

[You have observed the fourth-tier mid-grade Preaching Painting 'Earth Veins Surge,' and you have comprehended the mid-grade spell 'Earth Treasury Return to Origin - Human Path.' Remaining comprehension attempts: 3]

[Earth Treasury Return to Origin - Human Path: Mid-Tier Spell]

[Progress: Third-Turn (3885/9999)]

[Effect: Steals the Earth Vein energy and uses it for one's own purposes, ensuring the continuous generation of vital energy and the endless cycle of magical spells.]

The basic version of Earth Veins Synthesis is designed for plant life.

Both the intermediate and advanced levels are called Earth Treasury Return to Origin, but they are further subdivided according to their effects and power.

The humane version of Earth Treasury Return to Origin is specifically designed for the Human Race.

"Just as plants absorb the power of the Earth Vein, Human Race life can also absorb them, but the absorption process is much more complex."

"The difference between human-based Earth Treasury and plant-based Earth Treasury is still quite significant, and it is also more complex than the Earth Veins Synthesis." Zhao Xing pondered the differences.

This magic is something that officials cannot learn in temples, nor will they pass on to them.

Don't forget, the series of Earth Veins Synthesis and Earth Treasury Return to Origin also has a nickname: "Origin-Stealing Art".

If everyone were to learn this spell, the result would be a huge number of idiots.

This spell is highly concealed and extremely destructive. If anyone could learn it, everyone would be out "stealing vegetables" (a euphemism for farming).

"The Earth Treasury Return to Origin Human Version can assist in cultivation and can also be used to make advance arrangements when facing enemies. However, I have to practice it secretly. Only after becoming Military Sima Nong can I use it openly, otherwise it will be a bit troublesome."

Zhao Xing didn't dare practice in the city, otherwise he would be invited for tea if he was discovered.

Strictly speaking, this spell is even forbidden to be practiced on the land of the Great Zhou, regardless of whether it is your own land or not.

But why does it exist? Because when the Great Zhou was expanding its territory, this magic was so useful that it simply couldn't resist using it!

"This was found by Lu Qian. It seems that someone from Noble Families is secretly practicing. This ban is truly a double standard, allowing officials to set fires while forbidding ordinary people to light lamps." Zhao Xing curled his lip, comparing himself to a wealthy man from his previous life who traveled by private jet and built private swimming pools, emitting huge amounts of carbon and wasting a lot of water, yet he called on ordinary people to protect the environment and conserve water resources.

"Why should I? I'm going to use it! And I'm going to train hard!" Zhao Xing thought viciously.

By the time they had grasped these two spells, it was already dark.

Zong Shichang warmly invited him to stay overnight at his residence, and Zhao Xing readily agreed without Guest Qi.

Steward Tang sent a servant to Kangping Ward to inform Zhao Ruide, and then arranged dinner for the young master and the distinguished guest.

"In the distant past, when people first came into being, they were proud and content, embracing simplicity and truth. As wisdom and ingenuity began to emerge, they had no means of support. Who would provide for them? They truly relied on wise men." After reciting this, Zong Shichang raised his wine cup to Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing smiled slightly and raised his wine cup as well, "Who is this wise man? He is Hou Ji. What is this sage? He is the one who cultivates and sows. Xia personally tilled the land, and Tang also cultivated crops. More recently, according to the Zhou dynasty, the eight policies were established before food was provided."

The two were reciting "The Agriculture Encouragement Song," each taking a verse, and whoever couldn't finish the poem had to drink.

Zong Shichang pondered deeply, then stammered as he recited, "Virtuous and virtuous, the plains are lush and green. Flowers and trees flourish, and the gentle breeze is refreshing. Men and women flock together, vying for the latest trends. Women tend mulberry trees at night, and farmers sleep in the fields."

Zhao Xing continued, "Integrity fades easily, harmony is fleeting. Ji Que married, and Ju Ni formed a couple. Even the virtuous and wise diligently work in the fields. How much more so the common people, bowing and scraping."

Zong Shichang picked up his wine cup and recited. "The livelihood of the people depends on diligence; diligence ensures abundance, abundance... What comes next?"

Zhao Xing picked up the glass and filled his cup. "Don't think about it, drink!"

"Damn it, I lost again." Zong Shichang downed his drink in one gulp. "I'm done, I can't beat you."

"One must be diligent in life; diligence ensures a comfortable life. Indulging in pleasure brings ease, but in old age, one struggles to make a living." Zhao Xing continued Zong Shichang's ramblings, "In life and in work, diligence is still essential. There are so many diligent people around us; how can we not feel ashamed of ourselves drinking and making merry?"

Zong Shichang laughed and cursed as he picked up the wine jug, "Stop pretending, you son of a bitch! Drink up! And be more diligent tomorrow!"

Zhao Xing laughed heartily, forgetting all his troubles, and he and Zong Shichang drank to their hearts' content.

The next morning, Zong Shichang was still fast asleep, but Zhao Xing had already woken up.

He was awakened by the Mountain Cat's mournful cries.

"Howl! Howl!!" The sound was hoarse, as if it had been hit.

"Alright, alright." Zhao Xing got up and opened the door. "It's not breakfast time yet, what's the rush? Anyone who didn't know better would think I'm abusing you."

"Meow~" The Mountain Cat became docile as soon as the door opened, and its voice sounded like a clip.

"Look at you, acting like this." Zhao Xing sighed and opened the Wen Bamboo Box, taking out half a Big Yellow croaker. "Here, eat up."

"Auntie, auntie~" the Mountain Cat began to devour its food.

After feeding the Mountain Cat, Zhao Xing went outside the room.

They found a rockery and began to open the box containing the painting.

Upon seeing the note next to the scroll, Zhao Xing was taken aback. "Hmm? This is a fourth-tier top-grade item, the Ten Thousand Arts Cloud Chart?"

The note also had a line of neat handwriting. "I present you with Ten Thousand Arts Cloud Chart, wishing you Wish Fulfillment."

"Hey, if you're going to send it, just send it. Why pass a little note? Women will only slow down my spellcasting..." Zhao Xing casually tossed the note away, strengthened his resolve, and began to study the painting.