Chapter Summaries

Zhao Xing completed the Temple Examination’s theory portion, answering a difficult North Sea phenology question that he remembered from his time as a player. He chose to begin the field assessment immediately and started working out the current hour in the dark assessment space.

• Chen Shijie welcomed the fifteen clerks to the Ministry of Agriculture, and they changed into examination clothes before entering Gucheng’s temple for the Temple Examination.
• Zhao Xing answered the theory questions, including the North Sea island disaster scenario, and completed the final question on matching the Five Elements with the seasons.
• Zhao Xing submitted his paper first and chose to proceed directly to the field assessment.
• He read the assessment requirements and identified five challenges, including precise timing, rainfall, and covering the area of a lower county.
• Zhao Xing used Bright Eyes to survey the plains and fields, determined that the conditions were suitable for spellcasting, and crouched to inspect the soil to determine the current hour.

Zhao Xing used Five Elements Observation and the Twelve Hour Grass to time his rainmaking spell perfectly, earning full marks on the practical assessment. Three days later, he joined the other clerks outside the temple to await the newly appointed officials list.

• Zhao Xing identified the Twelve Hour Grass and used it to determine the time in the small world fragment.
• Zhao Xing maintained rain for two hours and stopped at Wei Hour, earning a perfect score on the practical assessment.
• Chen Shijie and Xue Wenzhong welcomed Zhao Xing outside the temple, where he explained his answers to the practical and theory questions.
• Zhao Xing discussed the Nanzheng and North Sea questions while eating with the officials and clerks.
• Three days later, Zhao Xing and the other fourteen clerks from the Ministry of Agriculture gathered outside the temple for the announcement of the results.

Zhao Xing and his companions learned the results of the clerk examination, and Zhao Xing received Grade A before undergoing the National Dynasty Luck Cleansing and formally entering the Great Zhou’s official system. He chose to seek selection by the Divine Might Army and left the shrine with his new fellow officials to reunite with his family.

• The examination list named Zhao Xing Grade A, while Wen Nanxing, Xiao Ze, Zong Shichang, and other candidates also passed.
• Zhao Xing received national fortune in Heaven's Heart Palace, strengthening his life soul and formally entering the Great Zhou’s Dynasty of Fate.
• During the Nether God Selection, Zhao Xing requested the Divine Might Army, but True Lord Cao Xi warned that his chances were low and placed him on its reserve list at his insistence.
• Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze thanked Zhao Xing for helping them with the examination, and Zong Shichang invited them all to celebrate at his residence.
• After officials and acquaintances congratulated him outside the shrine, Zhao Xing reunited with Zhao Zheng, Zhao Ruide, and Madam Cai, who were waiting to take him home.

After his appointment lifted his cultivation restrictions, Zhao Xing strengthened his spells, arranged for Zong Shichang to look after his family, and advanced to Primary Ninth Grade Lower Rank. While studying the Agricultural Official secret classic, he learned from Cao Xi that he could not comprehend powerful spells unless he became a Military Sima Nong, and he decided to seek news about his assignment from Old Chen.

• Zhao Xing read a passage on seasonal transformation and found that his appointment had increased his lifespan and lifted the restriction on his cultivation, allowing several spells to advance.
• Zhao Xing asked Zong Shichang to protect his family after he departed, and Zong Shichang promised to look after them.
• Shen Zhui, Wen Nanxing, and Xiao Ze departed for their new posts, while Zong Shichang took an Assistant Official position in Gucheng.
• After returning from Fragrant Mountain, Zhao Xing broke through to Primary Ninth Grade Lower Rank and went to the temple to study Solar Terms Decree.
• Cao Xi explained that Zhao Xing’s attempt to comprehend Rain Water through Icy Rain had failed because powerful methods were restricted to a Military Sima Nong, and Zhao Xing decided to visit Old Chen about his assignment.

Zhao Xing received his transfer order to the Divine Might Army and traveled with Chen Shijie and Long Xiao toward Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven using the Li Fire Dao Academy’s divine altar. At the altar, they clashed with Helian Lie’s group over a reserved passage, and Chen Shijie tried to prevent Long Xiao from escalating the dispute.

• Chen Shijie told Zhao Xing that his transfer to the Divine Might Army had been approved and that they would leave for Xier County through the Li Fire Dao Academy’s divine altar.
• Zhao Xing told his family he was leaving, and Chen Shijie appointed Xue Wenzhong acting head of the Agricultural Supervisorate before departing Gucheng.
• Chen Shijie, Long Xiao, and Zhao Xing traveled to Dayuan Prefecture and waited at the Li Fire Divine Altar’s No. 9 Fire Pond.
• Helian Lie arrived with four companions and claimed No. 9 Fire Pond for the Blazing Sun Army after another youth failed to register their passage correctly.
• Helian Lie offered compensation for the Divine Might Army party to yield, but Chen Shijie and Long Xiao refused because they also had urgent military orders.
• The Thunder Surname Middle-aged man disparaged the Divine Might Army and its orders, Long Xiao grew furious, and Chen Shijie restrained him.

Zhao Xing traveled with Chen Shijie and Long Xiao to the Divine Might Army’s garrison, collected his equipment, and learned the rules for the Military Agriculture Official training program in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven. As the hour of the Rooster approached, he prepared to enter the grotto-heaven by jumping into the lake, while Helian Lie and the Ritual Cultivator appeared nearby with other recruits.

• Chen Shijie recognized that a Ritual Cultivator had used the Provocation Method to provoke Long Xiao, and warned Long Xiao to improve his guard.
• Chen Shijie, Long Xiao, and Zhao Xing borrowed the No. 9 Fire Pond’s power to travel to Datong Prefecture, where Zhao Xing learned he and the Mountain Cat had to repay the borrowed distance by traveling on foot.
• Chen Shijie took the Mountain Cat into his care, and he and Long Xiao escorted Zhao Xing toward the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven for Military Agriculture Official training.
• Zhao Xing reached the Divine Might Army’s outer garrison, where Fang Hong gave him standard equipment and Chen Shijie explained the training route, rewards, and selection process.
• As the hour of the Rooster neared, Chen Shijie told Zhao Xing to jump into the lake to enter the grotto-heaven, and Long Xiao spotted Helian Lie and the Ritual Cultivator nearby.

Zhao Xing entered the Ten Suns Grotto Heaven, overcame the effects of its strange environment, and made his way toward the Ministry of Agriculture. He crossed Earth Fire Plain by unleashing underground fire behind him, while officials monitoring the route noticed the disturbance.

• Zhao Xing and Zhuo Li received instructions to report to the Ministry of Agriculture, and Zhao Xing jumped into the lake entrance with the other reservists.
• Zhao Xing passed through the Boundary Wall, landed beneath three suns, and found that the Evil Aversion Almanac's time and direction functions were disrupted.
• Zhao Xing dispelled Ouyang Song's cloud cover with his Devouring Cloud Art, then continued toward the Ministry of Agriculture.
• Zhao Xing chose to cross Earth Fire Plain and used the Five Elements Earth Splitting Art to open a long fissure and release a river of earth fire behind him.
• At the Great Granary Institute, a mirror monitoring Earth Fire Plain shook and its red bead lit up, alerting Lu Bang and Zuo Zizhi to an abnormality.

Zhao Xing’s Five Elements Earth Splitting Art triggered a rampage at Earth Fire Plain, and Lu Bang chose not to repair the damage. As the rampage rose to the Fifth Level, late-arriving recruits became trapped or were forced to turn back.

• Zhao Xing’s spell split Earth Fire Plain and caused a Fourth Level Rampage, which Lu Bang decided to leave undisturbed.
• Lu Bang found Zhao Xing on the roster and learned he had joined Divine Might Army through an unusual clerical official route.
• Ouyang Song entered Earth Fire Plain, struggled through the extreme heat, and crossed one magma fissure before finding another.
• Ouyang Song met Zhuo Li, who explained that someone had recently disturbed the earth vein, then left to continue onward.
• The Earth Mirror Instrument registered a Fifth Level Rampage, and Lu Bang refused Zuo Zizhi’s request to intervene as recruits became stranded between fissures.

Zhao Xing recovered from crossing the Earth Fire Plain, then set out for the Ten Thousand Mile Thunder Pool as the three suns shifted out of position. Behind him, Ouyang Song received help from Wei Chen, while Zhao Xing approached a group of competitors converging on the same route and prepared to strike first.

• Zhao Xing rested and recovered his essence, then reviewed the ancient cultivation grades and the costs of borrowing the Li Fire True Lord's Dao.
• After the almanac showed that a sun had shifted, Zhao Xing studied the three routes to the Agricultural Supervisorate and chose to seek the Ten Thousand Mile Thunder Pool.
• Over a hundred people suffered from the scorched Earth Fire Plain, and Ouyang Song collapsed while desperately searching for water.
• Wei Chen gave Ouyang Song water, explained how the Five Elements Earth Splitting Art had worsened the fire, and described the stronger geniuses selected by the Tigron Army.
• Zhao Xing spotted the Ten Thousand Mile Thunder Pool and raced toward its thinner section as fifteen other people converged on him.
• Realizing he could not outrun the approaching competitors, Zhao Xing decided to strike first.

Zhao Xing used Yin Wind to disrupt a group of recruits, then tricked them into blaming Li Feng and escaped while they attacked him. He entered the Ten Thousand Mile Thunder Pool, leaving Li Feng to face the furious group behind him.

• Zhao Xing struck fifteen recruits with Yin Wind, causing several to mistake Li Feng for the caster.
• Yu Chunwu, He Yu, Peng Ran, Yang Yang, and others attacked Li Feng, while Zhao Xing joined in and falsely accused him.
• Li Feng summoned his Blood Cloud Art as Zhao Xing slipped away through the valley entrance and into the thundercloud region.
• At the Great Granary Institute, Lu Bang and Zuo Zizhi watched Zhao Xing's scheme unfold and laughed at Li Feng's predicament.
• Zhao Xing decided to fight strategically in the Ten Suns Grotto Heaven, then turned his attention to crossing the Ten Thousand Mile Thunder Pool.

Zhao Xing crossed the Ten Thousand Mile Thunder Pool by combining the Devouring Cloud Art with Guiding Thunder, then hurried toward the Agricultural Supervisorate. He arrived alongside another competitor, where a mirror displayed the rankings of those who had reported in.

• Zhao Xing sheltered beneath Magnetic Storm Rock, learned to control lightning with his cloud and Guiding Thunder spells, and crossed the Thunder Zone while improving his lightning arts.
• Zhuo Li crossed the Earth Fire Plain, while Li Feng defeated Yu Chunwu, He Yu, Peng Ran, Yang Yang, and their companions before heading into the valley.
• Zhao Xing rested by drawing energy from the Earth Vein, sensed Zhuang Ziqing traveling underground with the Mystic Earth Art, and then emerged from the Thunder Pool.
• Zhao Xing crossed the Boundary Marker and raced toward Yang City as other reservists rushed to report in.
• Zhao Xing and another figure entered the Agricultural Supervisorate at the same time, where a mirror showed the rankings.

Zhao Xing finished twenty-ninth in the reporting assessment, collected his identity seal and Earth Mirror, and chose a courtyard in the Ten Suns Grotto-Heaven. As later arrivals lamented their rankings, Zhao Xing planned to use the month before academy selection to strengthen his cultivation and qualify for one of the four elite institutes.

• Zhao Xing found himself ranked twenty-ninth and earned one thousand points for his assessment result.
• A paper crane guided Zhao Xing to collect his secret seal and Earth Mirror, where he learned that academy selection would take place in a month and training required twelve passing elective evaluations.
• Zhao Xing chose and registered Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard, then checked his points and planned to study spells and classic secret collections before academy selection.
• Li Feng arrived ranked one hundred forty-third and blamed Zhao Xing for costing him a better result.
• Zhuo Li arrived ranked two hundred thirty-fifth and regretted losing time on the Earth Fire Plain.
• Zuo Zizhi and Lu Bang discussed the rankings, praised Zhao Xing's tactics, and criticized Li Feng's carelessness; Zhao Xing resolved to improve his abilities and aim for one of the four elite academies.

Zhao Xing selected Lesser Nine Heavens Astral Wind and Rolling Ground Thunder while planning to return Li Fire True Lord's Dao within a month. After enduring a punishing training run, he reached Three Turns in the wind art and began studying Rolling Ground Thunder.

• Zhao Xing reviewed the martial treasury's spell manuals and chose Lesser Nine Heavens Astral Wind for movement and Rolling Ground Thunder for offense, postponing Mystic Earth Art because it took too long to master.
• Zhao Xing ordered the two manuals, discovered that each cost one point to print, and collected them from a Mechanism Master who delivered them to Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard.
• Zhao Xing carried two thousand catties of compressed earth while running and studying, returning three thousand li of Dao after four shichen of exhausting practice.
• Chen Shijie told Long Xiao to send Zhao Xing Thunderstone and explain how to use the Ministry of Agriculture's free comprehension sites.
• Zhao Xing mastered Three Turns of Lesser Nine Heavens Astral Wind after a day and night of training, then resumed his weighted run while studying Rolling Ground Thunder.

After repaying Li Fire True Lord's Dao, Zhao Xing began advanced training at the Seventy-Two Earth Palaces and became absorbed in an elusive Octagonal Underground Palace. After eight days of pursuing it and comparing insights with Han Bing, Zhao Xing finally saw a door appear in the palace and gained enlightenment.

• Zhao Xing repaid the 20,083-li debt to Li Fire True Lord and left to begin advanced training at the Earthly Advantage Institute.
• Zhao Xing entered the Seventy-Two Earth Palaces wearing an Essence-Locking Ring and discovered a small, moving Octagonal Underground Palace.
• Zhao Xing and Han Bing pursued the palace for days and realized they perceived different forms and patterns in it.
• Zhao Xing and Han Bing introduced themselves, exchanged interpretations, and continued observing the palace together.
• On the eighth day, Zhao Xing stopped chasing the palace and, near midnight, saw a door open in it and sat down to comprehend.

Zhao Xing comprehended Divine Swift Guard from the Myriad Forms Underground Palace and raised it to the Seventh Revolution through training and study of earth vein murals. As the institute placement trials neared their end, Long Xiao contacted him to say he had arrived with Zhao Xing’s delivery.

• Zhao Xing comprehended the special mid-tier spell Divine Swift Guard after eight days before the Myriad Forms Underground Palace, while Han Bing continued his own enlightenment.
• Zhao Xing studied the Five-Colored Centipede in the Mystic Earth Prison and raised Divine Swift Guard to Six Turns.
• Zhao Xing learned that Agrarian Commandant Fan Zhaoli had earned a billion points for transforming the area around Inverted Peak Mountain into a treasure land.
• Zhao Xing studied earth vein murals for several days, used Discern Minute Details to perceive their deeper flow, and raised Divine Swift Guard to the Seventh Revolution.
• Long Xiao contacted Zhao Xing through the Earth Mirror and said he had arrived with Zhao Xing’s delivery.

Zhao Xing received a limited supply package from Long Xiao, then detected a secret wind message announcing that the academy assignment assessment had begun early. He reached the Eastern Suburbs in time, where officials revealed that only 931 recruits had passed the first stage and announced the second stage.

• Long Xiao gave Zhao Xing food and Thunderstone worth 10,000 Arsenal points, which Zhao Xing could use only after academy assignment.
• Zhao Xing sensed an unnatural breeze carrying instructions to reach Yang City's Eastern Suburbs before the third quarter of the Shen Hour, and he set out on foot.
• Shi Yong, Feng Qiu, Zhuang Ziqing, Hua Zhilin, Guan Junyang, and other recruits detected the message and headed toward the Eastern Suburbs, while many others remained asleep or failed to notice it.
• Li Feng recognized Zhao Xing on the road and chased him, but Zhao Xing reached the Boundary Marker and passed the first stage before Li Feng caught up.
• Han Bing asked Zhao Xing about the Earth Fire Plain rampage, and Zhao Xing admitted he had caused it.
• Zuo Zizhi and Lu Bang announced that 931 recruits had passed, while everyone else had lost access to the four great institutes, and Zuo Zizhi began announcing the second-stage assessment.

Zhao Xing used his eighth-transformation Devouring Cloud Art to defeat Li Feng in the second trial and became the focus of the candidates. As the crowd reacted, Lu Bang began lowering his dark-gold cloud over the Eastern Suburbs, intensifying the test.

• Zuo Zizhi announced that candidates had to keep their clouds above one hundred meters and survive within the Eastern Suburbs while Lu Bang blanketed the area with a cloud.
• Li Feng publicly challenged Zhao Xing, and the two raised their clouds as the second trial began; Li Feng summoned eight Cloud Armor Giants to attack Zhao Xing.
• Zhao Xing revealed his Devouring Cloud Art, absorbed Li Feng’s Cloud Armor Giants, and swallowed Li Feng’s clouds despite Jiang He and Jiang Hai’s attempt to intervene.
• Li Feng’s Cloud Art shattered, and he was eliminated; the candidates recognized Zhao Xing as a powerful Devouring Cloud Art user.
• Zuo Zizhi identified Zhao Xing’s art as the eighth transformation, and Lu Bang pressed down on the dark-gold cloud to speed up the eliminations.

Zhao Xing survived the second trial, hunted his way to ninth place in the Ten Thousand Beasts Garden, and learned that the fourth trial would cut the remaining candidates down to two hundred. The chapter ended as the fourth trial was about to begin, with candidates who passed it guaranteed a place in the remaining academy assessments.

• Lu Bang's cloud pressure eliminated candidates until Zuo Zizhi ended the second trial, leaving 720 people, including Zhao Xing.
• Zuo Zizhi announced that the third trial required candidates to kill exotic beasts in the Ten Thousand Beasts Garden using only Cloud Arts and Lightning Arts.
• Zhao Xing used several Lightning Arts to slow and kill beasts, then left each cleared area to continue hunting.
• Celestial Timing Academy observers discussed potential recruits, including Shi Yong, Feng Qiu, Zhuang Ziqing, Hua Zhilin, Guan Junyang, and Zhao Xing.
• Zuo Zizhi announced the hunting rankings, placing Shi Yong first, Zhuang Ziqing second, and Zhao Xing ninth with 825 kills.
• Zuo Zizhi announced that the fourth trial would reduce the remaining 500 candidates to 200, after which no further candidates would be eliminated.

Zhao Xing and the other candidates faced the fourth academy-selection round, which required them to make rain beneath Five Suns in the Sky and use rain arts to affect opposing Mechanism Puppets. The chapter ended as Zhao Xing was called to take his turn.

• Zhao Xing noticed the preserved cloud qi and left the tower ship to gather it with his Cloud Rain Pearl before the other candidates reacted.
• Zuo Zizhi eliminated eighteen candidates who had failed to bring Cloud Rain Pearls, then revealed that the assessment was to make rain and influence the puppet armies below.
• Zuo Zizhi explained that candidates would be scored on their rainmaking and on how many allied or enemy Mechanism Puppets their rain arts strengthened or weakened.
• He Yu failed to make rain and was eliminated, while Jiang Hai, Yu Zhou, Jiang He, and others completed their turns with varying scores.
• Zhuo Li scored 425 points, surpassing the earlier scores in the group, and Zhao Xing was called next.

Zhao Xing dominated the Rain Law Trial with a score of 4019, earning third place overall and securing a chance to apply to the Celestial Timing Academy. After the rankings were announced and the lower-ranked candidates were dismissed, Lu Bang and Zuo Zizhi summoned Zhao Xing to the pavilion.

• Zhao Xing used his Cloud Rain Pearl and Devouring Cloud Art to sustain rainfall, then directed peak intermediate Icy Rain to help the black side defeat the white side with few friendly losses, earning 4019 points.
• Hua Zhilin scored 1004 points, and Zhao Xing’s group returned to the Tower Ship as other candidates discussed Shi Yong’s and Zhuang Ziqing’s strong results.
• Zuo Zizhi announced the final rankings: Shi Yong placed first, Zhuang Ziqing second, and Zhao Xing third; candidates below two hundredth place were dismissed.
• Zuo Zizhi explained that the remaining candidates could register for the Celestial Timing Academy, which would select only fifty, while other academy trials remained an option.
• Lu Bang and Zuo Zizhi beckoned Zhao Xing to the second-floor pavilion, and he went to meet them.