The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

The path of Cloud Summoning, supreme domination!

Unlike other techniques with multiple variations, Cloud Summoning always follows the path of overwhelming force.

Among Shennong Officers, the battle for control of the skies is the top priority.

Zhao Xing quickly gathered his clouds again, launching a second attack before Cao Qiushui could counter.

The edges of the clouds layered upon one another, forming a massive cloud mountain, like an immovable boulder blocking the way. Cao Qiushui's Flowing Clouds were split, showing signs of being divided in two.

This move genuinely startled Cao Qiushui.

Shennong Officers were the rarest of all professions, and even fewer dared to compete for the first incense offering.

On the first night, Cao Qiushui hadn't encountered any significant competitors from his profession.

But now, he realized he had met a formidable foe!

In an instant, as his Flowing Clouds were about to be separated by the cloud mountain, the two halves surged upwards like rivers, climbing over the mountain and reuniting before being completely severed.

"Suspended River style of Flowing Clouds—this Cao Qiushui is quick to react," Zhao Xing observed, realizing that his plan for a fast attack had failed.

After absorbing the clouds from four others, Zhao Xing had hoped to catch Cao Qiushui off guard after dealing with the others and quickly split his cloud formation.

He intended to replicate his earlier strategy—using a smaller force to devour a larger one, swallowing up Cao Qiushui's clouds as well.

But Cao Qiushui reacted swiftly, not only neutralizing the threat but also causing his Flowing Clouds to form a mountain of their own, threatening to crush Zhao Xing's clouds.

In a clash of techniques, things could change in an instant.

Mid-level Cloud Summoning techniques were indeed stronger than entry-level ones, so Zhao Xing had no choice but to disperse his cloud layer, breaking it apart and retreating slightly before reorganizing it.

"What? How is this possible…" Cao Qiushui was momentarily stunned.

He had thought he'd crushed Zhao Xing's clouds, but Zhao Xing's cloud control was far superior. Under the immense pressure, Zhao Xing's clouds had hardly suffered any loss.

Dispersing clouds was easy; reassembling them was much more difficult. It was akin to a strategic retreat in battle—a risky maneuver that only a seasoned general could pull off. If not done correctly, it could lead to total defeat.

To manipulate countless cloud fragments simultaneously, guiding them away from the enemy's attack and quickly regrouping, was no small feat.

Cao Qiushui admitted it was difficult for him to achieve such precise control, especially given the disparity in cultivation levels.

Zhao Xing's maneuver truly stunned him.

"I sense that his Cloud Summoning hasn't reached true mid-level power, but his control techniques far surpass mine."

"A master, a true master!"

In just a few exchanges, Cao Qiushui realized his opponent was no ordinary rival.

He knew that relying on Cloud Summoning alone wouldn't be enough to defeat Zhao Xing in a short time.

Zhao Xing, however, had already anticipated this. His Cloud Summoning was at the ninth transformation of the entry-level technique, while Cao Qiushui's Flowing Clouds were at the fourth transformation of the mid-level technique.

While Zhao Xing's control was superior, the gap in power meant he needed to gain an advantage quickly; otherwise, the situation could turn against him.

Thus, Zhao Xing resorted to another tactic.

"Yin Wind, rise!"

With a flick of his finger, Zhao Xing summoned a gust of Yin Wind from the earth.

At midnight, summoning Yin Wind was both fast and effortless.

The nature of Yin Wind made it nearly invisible, undetectable to other professions. Even the defeated Shennong Officers in the Temple Square hadn't noticed it.

A stream of Yin Wind cut through the crowd, heading straight for Cao Qiushui.

At that moment, Zhao Xing's instincts flared, and he leaped to the side.

Where he had been standing, the ground suddenly collapsed, creating a pit half a meter wide and two meters deep.

"A Land-Shaping technique from the Earth school?" Zhao Xing stared at the pit in surprise, then quickly realized what had happened.

Cao Qiushui had also resorted to an unconventional move. As a descendant of Cao Xi Zhenjun, Cao Qiushui specialized in Earth techniques.

Just as Cao Qiushui was casting his spell, he suddenly shivered, his technique disrupted, preventing his Land-Shaping technique from unleashing its full power.

He then felt a wave of dizziness, as if he had been toiling for three days and nights without rest.

A grayish light flickered from the straw raincoat he wore, and the jade pendant on his chest glowed, sending warmth through his body.

Cao Qiushui finally snapped back to full awareness.

"This… is Yin Wind?"

His scalp tingled in fear.

He had never imagined that among the Shennong Officers on this mountain, someone would have mastered the Yin Wind Technique!

And not just any Yin Wind, but one of immense power, far beyond the first or second transformation.

The third-tier upper-grade soul jade he wore was now covered in cracks, its once smooth surface now dim and lifeless.

"Cao… I… I concede defeat!" Cao Qiushui stammered, quickly dispelling his clouds and leaping out of Temple Square, making it clear he had no intention of continuing the fight.

"What? Brother Cao, why?" His companions were shocked to see him flee.

Shennong Officers couldn't compete for the incense offerings on their own. Even if Cao Qiushui secured an offering, he would need a warrior to guard the steps. Therefore, many in Temple Square formed small groups to compete for the incense.

Cao Qiushui's group included three warriors at the seventh stage of the Essence Gathering Realm. With the Shennong Officer supporting and the warriors leading the charge, they had secured two incense offerings the night before, with two members being the fifth and seventh to enter the temple.

After burning incense and seeking guidance from Zhenjun, they had received substantial rewards during the day.

Yet, on this second night, Cao Qiushui's performance was entirely different. He was even trembling!

"Don't ask questions. Trust me, we can't win this round." Cao Qiushui glanced at the seven golden orbs floating in the sky, muttering to himself, "We can't compete… That Yin Wind is at least at the seventh transformation."

Cao Qiushui's retreat left everyone in shock.

"What? The descendant of the Cao family was defeated?"

"Who was it? Who beat him?"

"Cao Qiushui is at the ninth stage of the Essence Gathering Realm. Is there someone even stronger than him? Why didn't they appear last night?"

"Cao Lao San knows three mid-level techniques, all at the fourth or fifth transformation. That's already impressive, even regular ninth-stage warriors would hesitate to face him head-on. How did he lose?"

"Is there someone with an even higher level of technique?"

In the dark, the crowd buzzed with disbelief.

But it all happened so quickly. From the moment the temple gates opened and the golden orbs appeared, to the warriors leaping and landing, only three breaths had passed.

The battle between Zhao Xing and Cao Qiushui, from eliminating their respective opponents to their final clash, took no more than ten breaths.

Their Cloud Summoning duel, with its resulting thunder and lightning, made it impossible for anyone to ascend and claim the incense offerings.

Shennong Officers at the ninth stage of the Essence Gathering Realm weren't to be underestimated. The duel between Cao Qiushui and his opponent was a contest between two ninth-stage officers, and no one dared to face the heavenly thunder above.

Mid-level techniques weren't something to be taken lightly!

Based on Cao Qiushui's performance the previous night, everyone expected him to win and then send someone to claim two incense offerings, matching the strength of his team. If he tried to claim more, others might intervene.

But no one could have predicted that Cao Qiushui would lose, and to an unknown Shennong Officer at that!

"The Cao family descendant is quite skilled," Zhao Xing thought to himself, impressed by Cao Qiushui's decisiveness in retreating.

To be able to withstand the ninth transformation of the Yin Wind Technique and retreat intact, while recognizing when he was outmatched, was commendable.

It was wise to know when to yield, especially since Cao Qiushui had mounted an effective counterattack against him.

Unfortunately for him, he faced Zhao Xing.

"Zhao Xing, did you really just defeat Cao Qiushui?" Zong Shichang was utterly stunned.

At this point, Zhao Xing's clouds had completely enveloped Temple Square. Lightning crackled through the clouds, not yet unleashed, but radiating a terrifying power.

Gale-force winds howled, and the flashes of lightning warned everyone on the square not to act recklessly.

"Just a bit of luck," Zhao Xing replied casually. "Master Zong, how many incense offerings were you planning to take?"

"Two," Uncle Cang replied, "At least two people need to enter the temple."

"I'll help you secure those two offerings. Consider it payment for the two hundred taels. Do we have a deal?" Zhao Xing looked at Zong Shichang.

"Deal! Absolutely!" Zong Shichang slapped his thigh. "Hurry, hurry! Uncle Cang, Uncle Hu, go get those two incense offerings!"

"Wait, take four," Zhao Xing added calmly. "I'll take one for myself, and I'll give you an extra one. Five hundred taels—is that a deal?"

"Deal!" Zong Shichang immediately agreed. "But is it possible?"

With seven incense offerings left and so many people still watching, would taking four provoke an attack?

"We'll see," Zhao Xing said with a wave of his hand. His voice carried on the wind: "Master Zong and I will claim four incense offerings. The remaining three are for the rest of you."

"I've said my piece. Who agrees, who disagrees?"

His voice was calm but carried a deep confidence.

Zong Shichang, watching Zhao Xing's back, could barely contain his excitement.

Zhao Xing was so generous, letting him join in on the glory as well.

Zong Shichang had never felt so satisfied spending his money!

"Right, right! Who dares object?!" Zong Shichang shouted, his voice echoing.

Too bad no one would remember after descending the mountain, otherwise, he could brag about this for a whole year!

"Who is this, claiming four incense offerings?" a cold voice scoffed from the shadows. "Zong Shichang is nothing but a waste, and the three experts he hired are only at the eighth stage of the Essence Gathering Realm."

"Your Cloud Summoning is impressive, but what will you do if we all attack at once? Can you still hold your ground?"

Someone was questioning Zhao Xing's strength, arguing that Cloud Summoning had no offensive power and was merely a support technique.

Cao Qiushui's Cloud Summoning and Land-Shaping techniques were both at the fourth or fifth transformation, and they exerted significant pressure on warriors but were still only supplementary.

At the end of the day, it took warriors to complement his techniques for their team to perform well. Even then, Cao Qiushui had only dared to ask for two incense offerings.

Who was this person, demanding four?

"Boom!"

Zhao Xing pointed his finger, and a bolt of lightning descended from the clouds, striking the source of the voice.

A mid-level technique, seventh transformation Lightning Summoning!

The man who had spoken let out a scream as his body was charred black and collapsed to the ground.

In the flash of lightning, everyone saw his miserable state.

Zhao Xing had answered the challenge with a direct spell!

Unfortunately, the cost of the man's challenge was high—he was instantly incapacitated.

Zhao Xing had demonstrated that he was not like Cao Qiushui—he was even stronger!

While Cao Qiushui's techniques focused on support, Zhao Xing not only had offensive spells, but his techniques were also at a higher level!

"Seventh transformation Lightning Summoning?" Wen Zhao shook his feather fan and looked at the sky, his pupils narrowing. "Boran, with my help, could you withstand it?"

Zhang Boran rolled his eyes. "Even with two more layers of spells, I doubt I could."

"He's absorbed the cloud energy of eight people. He could probably summon dozens of lightning bolts. How many layers of defense can you give me?"

"Unless your Harmony Rite can dispel his clouds, I could try a frontal assault. If I can get close to him, I'm confident I can defeat the two eighth-transformation warriors from the Zong family."

Wen Zhao's face paled. "I've burned his straw puppet before… Will he hold a grudge?"

Zhang Boran sighed. "We'll just have to take it as it comes."

"Does anyone else object?" Zhao Xing's voice rang out again.

This time, no one dared to speak.

The man he had struck was a warrior at the eighth stage of the Essence Gathering Realm. Although his thick skin had kept him alive, he was now out of the fight.

Due to Yang Junxiong's actions, three ninth-transformation experts had already been eliminated, and now, fewer competitors remained than the night before.

Just the fact that Zhao Xing had cast a seventh-transformation Lightning Summoning was enough to claim four incense offerings, let alone the warriors Zong Shichang had gathered around him.

"Damn it, this bastard is so arrogant!" Lu Qian, though unable to see him clearly, recognized Zhao Xing's voice. The man who had captured her before was speaking.

"Qian'er, you've been acting so strange today. You've been uncharacteristically upset. Did you have a run-in with this man?" Liu Muqing noticed something was off. "Did something happen between you two?"

"N-no, nothing happened." Lu Qian averted her gaze.

"Then where's your Sparrow Feather Armor?" Liu Muqing pointed at her. "You didn't lose it while bathing, did you?"

"W-well, it's… There's a reason," Lu Qian stammered, her face turning red.

"Master Zong, send someone to fetch the incense," Zhao Xing said, seeing no one objecting.

Zong Shichang liked Zhao Xing more and more, especially since Zhao Xing addressed him directly rather than consulting with Uncle Cang or Uncle Hu.

That was the respect Zong Shichang craved!

"Right away, go get the incense!" Zong Shichang excitedly waved his hand.

Two warriors at the eighth stage of the Essence Gathering Realm leaped into the air, each collecting two incense offerings.

They descended gracefully, dissipating their momentum upon landing.

"Thank you, Brother Zhao," Uncle Cang said, handing one incense offering to Zhao Xing, its golden light radiating from the top.

"No need to be formal," Zhao Xing replied, accepting the incense.

Of the four incense offerings, Uncle Cang and Uncle Hu each took one.

The third went to Zong Shichang himself.

"Uncle Yuan, I'll rely on you to deliver me safely into the temple," Zong Shichang said, turning to the middle-aged man who had remained silent until now.

The man simply nodded in response.

Zhao Xing glanced at him and happened to meet his gaze, feeling a sudden jolt in his heart.

In the man's eyes, he saw the image of a deity!

He was a divine official!

"How rich is the Zong family that they can even hire a divine official?" Zhao Xing wondered.

Among the numerous officials climbing the mountain, divine officials were extremely rare. Divine officials were unique; they didn't need spirit essences to enhance their techniques. Their cultivation methods and techniques followed a different path entirely. Moreover, divine officials were known for their detachment, being aloof from worldly desires.

Frequent contact with Yin Gods significantly reduced their ambitions and desires.

"We'll wait over there," Zong Shichang said.

"Let's go."

Having secured four incense offerings, Zhao Xing dissipated his cloud.

More incense wouldn't do him any good—each night provided only one chance to burn incense and receive guidance.

Moreover, there would be a second and third wave of incense offerings.

Plenty of experts still remained in Temple Square, many of whom hadn't made a move in the first round. If Zhao Xing didn't withdraw now, he would be making enemies of everyone, which wasn't necessary.

"Has Yang Junxiong still not decided the fight with Du Jiaojiao?"

As they descended from Temple Square, two figures up ahead continued to clash.

Both wielded spears—Yang Junxiong's was red, while Du Jiaojiao's was silver and white.

They blocked the temple entrance.

"Even with my Night Vision, I can't clearly see their movements. I can only make out flashes of light. These two have probably both reached the ranked realm," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

He had his own fortuitous encounters, but others could have their own as well.

Yang Junxiong had claimed the first incense offering the night before, while Du Jiaojiao had taken the second. After burning incense and praying to the deity, they might have received mid-grade spirit essences or even learned techniques for gathering spirit essences, perhaps even high-grade ones!

Both had already been at the ninth stage of the Essence Gathering Realm, so it was only natural for them to have broken into the ranked realm after receiving the essences.

After Zhao Xing left, Temple Square erupted into fierce competition.

With only three incense offerings left and dozens of people vying for them, the battle was intense.

Burning incense in the temple and praying within the first ten offerings had the best results.

Those who received the first ten offerings would receive clear guidance from Zhenjun, revealing the location of spirit essences or teaching methods for gathering them.

After that, the guidance became vague, not as explicit.

Zhao Xing watched silently from a distance, using his Night Vision technique to observe the scene.

One pair in particular caught his attention.

"A liuqin paired with a battle dance?"

In the midst of the chaos, two people stood out. Zhao Xing recognized one of them as Lu Qian, the woman he had captured before.

She was performing an intense, wild dance, while another girl played the liuqin, accompanying her.

Together, the two were enacting one of the Six Songs, known as Great Shao.

It was said that Great Shao was composed by the ancient music official Kui, designed to depict the laws of heaven and earth through music and dance, so much so that beasts would bow down and phoenixes would nest, a tribute to the achievements of the ancient Summer Emperor.

Great Shao was both a battle dance and a musical performance.

"The mighty elephants march, revealing the laws of the world. Listen to my words as they echo across the mysterious realms…"

Liu Muqing plucked the strings of the liuqin while reciting an ancient chant, and Lu Qian danced.

As they performed, half of the warriors in the square suddenly lost control, attacking their own comrades.

The remaining half were drawn into the dance, further empowering the Great Shao.

Only two or three warriors managed to stay conscious, but even their spells and techniques were warped and distorted.

Unable to resist, the warriors could only concede, allowing the two sisters to claim an incense offering each.

After proving their strength and claiming their offerings, Lu Qian and Liu Muqing stopped their performance.

They bowed toward the square, not out of courtesy but because the Great Ritual of the Supreme Music required this closing gesture.

Music and ritual were inseparable in the Zhou Dynasty.

Without this final bow, their performance wouldn't count toward their cultivation progress (their mastery wouldn't improve without this process).

"It's rare to see such a powerful rendition of Great Shao, especially with just two performers," Zhao Xing remarked.

"I've known them for a long time. How did I not know they were this strong?" Zong Shichang asked, intrigued.

Zhao Xing explained, "Great Shao is one of the Six Songs, the most powerful of the battle dances. It usually requires a large group of people and many instruments. The other dances include Cloud Gate, Great Volume, Only the Strong, Great Chime, and Great Chapter."

"I've seen Great Shao before, but it wasn't nearly as impressive."

Zhao Xing teased, "The one you saw wasn't the real deal."