Preparations and Progress One Month Later, Beginning of Winter Arrives!

Even after leaving the Chen Residence, Zhao Xing was still somewhat shocked.

He never expected to run into an old acquaintance here.

I never expected that Long Xiao and Chen Shijie would be so close.

What he didn't expect was that Chen Shijie wanted to take him to the Divine Might Army, which would be expelled from the army in the future!

Should I still go with Old Chen?

He was definitely going to join the army, since his original plan was to become Military Sima Nong.

If he wanted to get promoted quickly, the military was undoubtedly the fastest route, and with his foresight, he was confident he could do very well.

"The Divine Might Army was once famous, but later suffered heavy losses in the fight against the Desolate Foreign Race, and even its organization was destroyed."

"A major reason why Wu Emperor of Han launched his campaigns against the barbarians was that his father had suffered a great loss at the hands of foreign tribes in his later years."

Zhao Xing recalled that Divine Firmament Marquis Long Xiao Long Xiao was extremely hostile to the Desolate Foreign Race, perhaps because of his experience in the Divine Might Army.

Long Xiao rose to prominence at the end of Emperor Jing's reign and was enfeoffed as Martial Marquis for his meritorious service in the Pacifying Barbarians War during the reign of Wu Emperor.

In Zhao Xing's plans for the future, Long Xiao was on his list of investments.

If you were stronger than him before he rose to power, you would help him out as an investment. If you were relatively weak before he rose to power, you would follow him.

"We are only in the middle of Emperor Jing's reign. After New Splendor Era, there will be Great Governance Era and Eternal Governance Era, which will last for about two hundred years."

Zhao Xing listened to Old Chen and Long Xiao chatting, he learned that although the Divine Might Army had some reputation before, it was limited to a single prefecture and had not yet reached the point of being famous throughout the world. Furthermore, it had only recently been reinstated.

"There are advantages to getting on board now. The Divine Might Army has just been put into service, and there will be plenty of opportunities to make contributions. As for the future? At worst, we can just jump ship later. Look at Long Xiao, he's doing just fine." Zhao Xing shook his head and stopped thinking about it. Anyway, there were still a few months before he could make a decision.

If he learns more about it, and if the assessment later deems it unsuitable, Zhao Xing has plenty of other places to choose from.

Right now, we need to get past the Profound Heaven Sect first and be officially appointed before we can talk about anything else.

Three Bays Town, Maple Leaf Manor.

Inside the Maple Leaf Manor, there is an artificial mountain, and inside this artificial mountain, a hidden passage has been dug, leading deep underground.

At this moment, deep underground, there is a small altar.

The altar stood in the pool of blood, the crimson blood covering half of the statue.

The two hall masters of the Three Bays Hall knelt below, waiting.

The Falcon Protector knelt beside the blood pool, worshipping the statue.

Chen Deshun and Wu Mei felt a little uneasy.

This was not supposed to be the time for the sacrificial ceremony, but they received a warning from the Venerable One a few days ago.

Upon returning, he reported to the Guardian Art.

The Hunting Falcon was very sensitive to even the slightest movement while it was lying in wait, so it immediately came to the altar to pray to the gods and inquire about the specific reason for the warning.

"Gurgle~" The statue emitted a faint red light, which shone in the air and brought to mind the scene of Chen Deshun in the Niu Family Courtyard.

The statue then quickly sank into the blood pool, and the strange phenomenon disappeared.

The Falcon Protector bowed devoutly again, then slowly descended from the altar.

"Guardian Art... Pfft~" Chen Deshun was about to ask what happened when he and Wu Mei were slapped away by Hunting Falcon, spitting out a mouthful of blood and even losing two teeth.

The two looked flustered, and after falling to the ground, they quickly crawled over and knelt down respectfully.

"You two idiots!" Hunting Falcon glared at the two men with a grim expression. "I sent you to Anping Town to scout the area, what did you do? Why were you exposed?!"

"What?" Chen Deshun exclaimed in shock, "We've been exposed?"

Wu Mei also looked panicked. "Guardian Art, please bear witness, we did nothing."

Hunting Falcon's eyes were cold. "Still dare to argue? The Venerable One's warning means that someone is using secret methods to deduce the two of you."

"What? How is this possible..." Chen Deshun and Wu Mei were shocked and had no idea why this was happening.

They had been staying in this underground altar for the past two days and realized that things were serious, but they didn't expect them to be this serious.

"Your identities are no longer valid," Hunting Falcon sneered. "Enter the Blood Spirit Pool."

"Yes, yes." The two walked into the blood pool of the altar with some fear.

Then Hunting Falcon waved, and a male and a female follower walked over from the side.

They were naked, and when they approached the Hunting Falcon, they knelt down respectfully. "Greetings, Guardian Art."

The Hunting Falcon said slowly, "Now is a critical moment, and you are needed to contribute to the great cause. In the future, Profound Heaven Society recreate Golden Body for you, so that you may enjoy eternal peace."

A man and a woman stared fervently at the statue. "We are willing to die for Mystic Heaven!"

He then got up and jumped into the pool of blood.

"Gurgle~"

The blood pool emitted faint red light, and after a while, the man and woman emerged from the blood pool again.

Hunting Falcon looked at the two of them. "For the next month, neither of you should take any action. Get to know your new identities."

"Yes," Chen Deshun and Wu Mei replied.

October 7th, Cold Dew.

As the weather in Gucheng gradually turns cold, Xue Wenzhong's Locust Willow Courtyard is no longer a scene of spring, but has returned to the same season as the outside world.

Xue Wenzhong pointed to the wisps of mist spreading out from the surrounding area.

"Three days after the Cold Dew, you need to find a bridge to cross the water."

"The pure white and crystal-clear dew turns cold and about to condense; this is the seventeenth method in the 'Solar Terms Decree'."

"By practicing the 'Solar Terms Decree,' you will be able to clearly perceive the Yin energy of the Earth Vein during each solar term. As a result, many spells will become much more powerful, such as the [Yin Wind] and [Icy Rain] that you are practicing."

"The Cold Dew solar term has seven significant phenological events that can transform seven kinds of ordinary beasts into extraordinary beasts and seven kinds of ordinary plants into spiritual plants. Similarly, it can also cause extraordinary beasts to degenerate and spiritual plants to wither."

"However, I am of dull talent. I can only use the 'Cold Dew Three-Phenology Transformation Dew' in the Cold Dew Solar Terms Decree. It is enough for Gucheng, but if you aspire to join the army, the three changes are not enough. You can consult Chen Shijie in the future. He will definitely teach you how to use it."

Zhao Xing nodded. After becoming a formal Agricultural Official, he could revise the "Solar Terms Decree." At that time, the scope of the Agriculture Official's Dynasty of Fate. Of course, this increase was limited to the territory of the Great Zhou.

At the same time, the Solar Terms Decree are not just about setting Heavenly Timing the Heavenly Timing; they are also accompanied by various magical abilities, such as increasing magical power or using phenology to change the weather.

This principle is even more widely applied in military campaigns. When an army arrives in an unfamiliar wilderness, the Military Sima Nong must determine which meats are edible and which are not.

However, the world is so vast and there are countless species that even the Military Sima Nong may not be able to identify them all.

By taking advantage of seasonal changes, one can select edible things from the wilderness.

For the Military Sima Nong, there is only the difference between being able to eat directly and having to figure out a way to eat.

Xue Wenzhong had nothing more to teach Zhao Xing in terms of specific magic techniques, so he could only talk about the "Solar Terms Decree," which could only be mastered after becoming a formal Agriculture Official.

Zhao Xing knew he didn't have much time to spend with the Old Sima Nong, so even though much of it was just empty rhetoric, he listened very attentively.

On October 9th, Zhao Xing arrived at the Chen Residence.

At this moment, Chen Shijie was busily preparing the trap.

Most of his pear orchard was cleared out, and many seedlings were even pulled up and replaced with several new plants.

Zhao Xing, curious, ran over to take a look and was immediately dumbfounded. "Are you planning to blow up the entire Profound Heaven Sect?"

Chen Shijie said calmly, "The Earthly Advantage Institute environment of Nanyang County is still somewhat lacking. These things grow here, but their power is also somewhat diminished."

Long Xiao said, "It's alright, I also shipped some high-end goods for you, a hundred pieces."

Zhao Xing asked cautiously, "Approximately what level?"

Long Xiao held out a hand, and Zhao Xing's expression changed drastically. "Is... is this really okay?"

Chen Shijie said, "We have no choice. Those two from Three Bays Town are dead, and their houses have been burned down. These Profound Heaven Sect members are not simple; they are very vigilant. They must have changed their appearance."

Long Xiao laughed and said, "Don't worry, there won't be any problems."

Zhao Xing and said, "I need to stay away from you two when we're on the move."

He paused, then added, "Could you give me some of the smaller ones?"

"Haha, don't you think this thing is useful? Sure, no problem!"

October 15th, Zong Residence.

Zong Shichang handed a box to Zhao Xing.

"I searched for a long time and only found an Upper Third Tier Sandalwood Soul Box. I don't know if that's enough for you."

Zhao Xing took it and looked at it. "It's enough."

Despite the freezing weather, Zong Shichang was still ostentatiously fanning himself with a fan. "Besides storing some calming pills, I don't know what else this thing is good for. Can you tell me?"

Zhao Xing laughed and said, "Don't ask anymore, I don't want to say. Don't force me to lie to you."

Zong Shichang closed his fan. "That's frank enough, I like that about you. I won't ask any more questions then. Want some more drinks today?"

Zhao Xing shook his head. "I'm not drinking anymore. I need to prepare well for the Beginning of Winter assessment."

Zong Shichang said in surprise, "Isn't it unnecessary to work so hard? Your spot in Gucheng is already a sure thing. Who can compare to you?"

Zhao Xing looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle and said, "True strongmen only ever compare themselves to themselves."

Zong Shichang laughed and cursed, "Damn it, you just spout nonsense. You're quite the actor."

October 23rd, Frost Descent.

The weather in Gucheng is getting colder and colder. Every morning when I wake up, I can see a thin layer of frost on the ground.

During this solar term, Zhao Xing clearly felt that his [Icy Rain] and [Yin Wind] techniques had been further enhanced.

Compared to the Autumn Equinox, the power of magic has increased by at least 30%.

"The solar terms have a significant impact on magic. Once you become a full-fledged practitioner, your primary task will be to cultivate the Solar Terms Decree. This is equivalent to creating a suitable home-field environment for yourself." Zhao Xing, wrapped in an autumn coat, went to the backyard to take a look.

Now, the Heaven Yuan Pear Tree has been moved to a corner by him.

The effects of the Earth Veins Synthesis also completely nourished the other plants.

The vegetable garden in the backyard was shrouded in a layer of mist by Zhao Xing.

People outside have no way of seeing what's going on inside.

"The upward trend is not bad." Zhao Xing went in and scanned the area. "Hopefully we won't need to use it. It would be best if Old Chen and Long Xiao could handle it, so I can take advantage of the situation."

October 28th.

"Hoo~"

The fourth-order Preaching Painting, "Earth Palace Void Image," suddenly burst into flames, signifying that the last chance for comprehension had been used up.

Zhao Xing glanced at the panel.

[Boundless Earth Palace: Intermediate-Tier Spell]

[Progress: 8012/9999]

[Effect: Based on the Earth Vein, it constructs Boundless Earth Palace, releasing a powerful agglomeration force that can be stacked up to eight times.]

[Five Elements Earth Splitting: Intermediate-Tier Spell]

[Progress: 7215/9999]

[Effect: The Earth Veins Surge, causing chaos in the world; it attacks using random power from the five elements of the Earth Vein.]

[Swallowing Clouds: Mid-Tier Spell]

[Progress: 8523/9999]

[Effect: Intermediate-level Cloud Method; can absorb various types of cloud energy and gain the effects of the absorbed cloud energy.]

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

[Progress: 6536/9999]

[Effect: Sets up Earth Vein Art array to absorb the power of the Earth Vein, replenish vital energy, and ensures an uninterrupted spell cycle.]

"In this month, all four Preaching Painting have been used up, and all four spells have improved significantly," Zhao Xing pondered. "As for the other spells, apart from the Sleepy Bug, they are still the same as before."

During this month, he selectively practiced spells, and he basically reached the seventh or eighth level of the four new spells. After all, with the Preaching Painting as a foundation, the effect of spending money was still very strong.

However, Zhao Xing spent the most time on the Sleep Bug Art in the introductory chapter of the Great Dream Spring and Autumn.

[Sleepy Bug: Intermediate Spell]

[Progress: Nine Turns (Complete)]

[Effect: To remotely absorb the Sleepy Bug within Fate Soul.]

"The Sleepy Bug in the Sandalwood Soul Box is already turning blackish-purple." Zhao Xing touched the box in his arms. "Now, I'm afraid even Long Xiao and Old Chen can't withstand it. They'll both fall asleep as soon as they're poisoned."

On the first day of the eleventh month, the fifteenth year of New Splendor Era arrived at its last Yang month.

The officials of the Agricultural Supervisorate began to get busy again.

Because the Beginning of Winter is just around the corner.

There are assessments Four Seasons and Eight Festivals, and this is the penultimate assessment before the end of the year.

Most people knew they had no hope of being promoted, but even if it wasn't for performance evaluation, it was still related to allowances.

Who doesn't want a bigger year-end bonus during the Lunar New Year?

Especially at times like these, it's even more important to put on a show.

"Big brother."

"Brother!"

Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong caught up with them in the covered walkway.

"Qian Dong, Zi Yu," Zhao Xing turned to look at the two of them, "Up so early today?"

"Big brother, Zi Yu day. You've just gotten lazy lately," Qian Dong said with a smile.

"Yes, brother. Where have you been lately? We haven't seen you at all. Your house has been shrouded in mist lately, and we have no idea what you're doing. Uncle Zhao said he doesn't see guests, so we don't dare to go and bother you," Chen Ziyu asked.

"It's all for the Beginning of Winter assessment." Zhao Xing had already prepared his reasons. "After all, I only Grade A four times this year. My previous results were only average. I'm still a bit unsure whether I can be appointed to an official position."

This was, of course, just an excuse. After he passed through the Autumn Equinox mountain pass, Ji Ming appointed him to participate in the Winter Assessment.

In other words, he must be one of the candidates reported by Nanyang County.

Li Wenzheng had already spoken with Chen Shijie, making sure Zhao Xing passed the exam. He practically said, "Leak the exam questions to Zhao Xing."

The county-level examinations were set by the chief official of the Agricultural Supervisorate, with Li Wenzheng acting as the supervisor. If these two colluded, even a fool could pass.

Of course, this is also because Zhao Xing himself is strong. If Li Wenzheng and Chen Shijie really sent an incompetent person to the county, there would be problems.

The recommender, his academic record, and his own abilities are all excellent; the rest depends on Zhao Xing's performance in the Temple Examination.

The reason I said that was simply to decline visitors.

"Brother, you're really hardworking. No wonder you can do it," Chen Ziyu said admiringly.

"Next spring, we'll eagerly await your good news, brother," Qian Dong said with a smile. "Zi Yu and I wish you our best wishes in advance."

"Thank you for your kind words," Zhao Xing said with a smile.

"That's all for now, brother. Old Sima Nong is about to start his lecture, we're heading over now!"

On November 5th, the content and location of the Beginning of Winter Assessment of the Agricultural Supervisorate were announced. On the same day, the content and location of the year-end assessments of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, the Martial Office, the Weaving Division, and the Divine Temple were announced.

Chen Shijie, Li Wenzheng, Gongsun Yang, and other officials from various departments in Gucheng had a sudden inspiration: to conduct a joint assessment of multiple professions, including martial artists, Mechanism Master, Agricultural Official, Weaving Girl, and Ceremonial Official, in the same location, which was Anping Town.

After the assessment criteria were announced, the officials complained bitterly, privately cursing Chen Shijie and Li Wenzheng for being incompetent and coming up with all sorts of crooked ideas.

However, no matter how much they complained, they couldn't change the two bigwigs' decision. They could only work intensively to prepare for this strange joint entrance exam.

On November 5th and 6th, a large number of officials arrived in Anping Town ahead of time and began to inspect the assessment site outside Anping Town —an abandoned forging factory.

On November 7th, the sound of bells rang out from the county town temple and the Agricultural Supervisorate) in Gucheng.

It was as if the people of Valley County were being informed that winter had begun.