The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

"Fortune, like a tangible substance, even just a small cup of this can change an ordinary person's fate." Zhao Xing gazed at the golden cup of fortune.

The increase in fortune manifests in different aspects.

It could be in romance, where one suddenly meets an outstanding partner and, by some stroke of luck, that person insists on marrying them.

Or it could appear in wealth, accumulating more in a few years than one could in a lifetime.

There's also the possibility of meeting a benefactor who becomes a political backer, aiding in promotions along the way.

And for cultivators? It's the classic scenario of finding treasure in a pile of junk, discovering hidden gems at an auction, receiving guidance from a master during a chance encounter, or acquiring divine skills after leaping off a cliff.

In essence, fortune influences all aspects of life. Aside from longevity, what Zhao Xing desired most was 'fortune.'

"Just this small cup can elevate one's fortune from the second tier to the third, but my fortune is already at the second tier, so it probably won't reach the third."

Zhao Xing brought the cup to his nose and took a gentle inhale.

In an instant, the fortune within the golden cup disappeared.

The cup transformed into an ordinary stone cup.

"The feeling of my heartbeat accelerating is gone; everything is normal." Zhao Xing glanced at his status panel, and as expected, it aligned with his prediction—there was no breakthrough, and he remained at the second tier of fortune.

The path of fortune is elusive and mysterious, the most enigmatic and hardest to enhance. Zhao Xing wasn't surprised.

"To reach the third tier of fortune from the second, I probably need two more portions of top-quality spiritual essences." Zhao Xing casually tossed the now-dull stone cup to the ground and left the cave.

Although he hadn't advanced to the third tier of fortune, just obtaining a small cup of fortune meant good luck was on the horizon—he just didn't know in what form it would come.

"Hmm?" As Zhao Xing stepped out of the cave, a hollow feeling arose within him, filled with reluctance, as if he was about to miss out on a great opportunity.

"Meow~" The mountain cat rubbed against Zhao Xing, puzzled as to why he had stopped walking.

"Little mountain cat, is there still something good inside the cave?" Zhao Xing asked.

The mountain cat nodded, then shook its little head.

"So, is there something or not? Never mind... I'll check for myself."

Having just acquired a cup of fortune, and with luck seemingly on his side, Zhao Xing wouldn't ignore such a feeling.

He returned to the cave and thoroughly searched all four of the branching paths.

After a full hour, Zhao Xing hadn't found anything unusual.

"Strange, I searched all four branches of the cave and found nothing, but as soon as I leave the cave, I feel that sense of loss again."

"Could it be a hallucination? Am I putting too much faith in the effects of fortune?" Zhao Xing began to doubt himself.

He re-entered the cave and approached the frozen lotus pool.

"Could it be them? But these three frozen lotuses are far from ripe. Even standing this close, I don't feel the slightest intuition."

When near spiritual essences, one would feel a strong sensation, whereas with fortune, it's more vague.

"No, it's not them."

Zhao Xing refrained from plucking the immature spiritual essences. Destroying unripe essences would lead to misfortune.

At that moment, the mountain cat tugged at Zhao Xing's pants.

"Hmm?" Zhao Xing looked down.

The mountain cat had somehow retrieved the discarded stone cup and seemed to want to play with him.

"This broken cup is useless now, why'd you pick it up? Go on, I don't have time to play." Zhao Xing said, slightly irritated.

"Meow meow~" The little mountain cat looked hurt.

"Sigh, I wasn't scolding you… fine, let's play." Zhao Xing picked up the stone cup, intending to toss it aside again.

But the moment he picked it up, his brow furrowed.

As soon as he touched the cup, he suddenly felt a sense of peace.

"Could it be this?"

Logically, the fortune was already gone, and this should have become nothing more than an ordinary stone cup.

Zhao Xing scrutinized the cup, but it appeared completely ordinary.

"Little mountain cat, let's go."

With a thought, Zhao Xing left the cave.

This time, as he distanced himself from the cave, the feeling of 'loss' did not reappear.

"It really is this!"

Zhao Xing joyfully rubbed the mountain cat's head. Though he wasn't sure what the cup's use was yet, there was no doubt the mountain cat had made a significant contribution.

"Want to play? No problem, but it's boring with just the two of us. Let's find someone else, and I guarantee you'll have plenty of fun."

After Zhao Xing and the mountain cat left, a figure riding a bamboo horse gazed at them from afar.

The figure watched as they departed, a flicker of doubt in their eyes, then swiftly dashed into the cave.

At the hour of the tiger (3:00-5:00 AM), people gradually dispersed from the square at the Heavenly Altar.

The last wave of incense offerings at the temple had already been made, and the temple doors were once again closed.

Everyone began a new day in search of spiritual essences.

However, the effect of incense offerings diminished over time. Those who arrived later could only rely on luck.

Some people roamed the mountains, trying to snatch others' opportunities.

For a time, the mountain echoed with the sounds of battle.

On a certain cliff, there stood a small, vibrant tree bearing three translucent, purple fruits.

However, the tree was quite inconspicuous, growing in a crevice, with its fruit hidden beneath dense leaves, making it hard to spot.

"Clang!" Qin Feng stabbed his blade into the rock, using the leverage to propel himself further up.

"Zzzzz~" The blade got stuck in the crevice and slipped, causing rocks to tumble as Qin Feng fell.

"Be careful, Brother Qin!"

"Brother Qin!"

Three companions below shouted in alarm.

Qin Feng quickly pulled out the dagger from his waist and plunged it into the cliff, stopping his fall.

He found a foothold and finally stabilized himself.

"Clang~"

A rock fell, smashing into pieces below.

Qin Feng glanced down and wiped the sweat from his brow.

If he had fallen, he would have ended up in pieces like the rock.

"This place is strange. The higher I climb, the more resistance I feel. Be careful, everyone." Qin Feng called down.

"I can feel it too," one of his companions replied. "In other places, I could easily jump seven or eight meters, but here, even with all my strength, I can barely manage one or two."

"This is a heavy cliff, and it's dangerous. I jumped from three meters earlier and my feet still ache." Another companion, now cautious, seemed ready to retreat.

"Let's push on. The harder it is, the more valuable the treasure at the top must be. It could be a mid-grade spiritual essence!" Qin Feng licked his lips in anticipation.

"Right, I'm coming. Brother Qin, give me a hand."

"Got it."

Although their climbing speed was slow, the four of them worked together, and they eventually conquered the 200-meter cliff.

"My heart is racing! It must be a mid-grade spiritual essence!" Qin Feng gazed at the small tree within reach, his face filled with greed.

"Brother Qin, how many fruits are on the tree?" someone below asked.

"There are three!" Qin Feng replied with a grin.

"Hurry and pick them! It's hard to breathe up here."

"Alright."

It wasn't possible to consume the fruits on the cliff. Mid-grade spiritual essences, especially those that boost vitality, require focused cultivation, and those that aid comprehension need a quiet place.

Balancing on the edge of a cliff was hardly the place for either.

The four began their descent slowly.

The way down was just as dangerous, but fortunately, no one was injured.

They reached the ground without incident.

"We made it." Qin Feng gasped for breath and glanced at his three companions, a strange thought crossing his mind.

Three fruits, but four people—how would they divide them?

If they couldn't divide them evenly, wouldn't it be better for him to take them all?

"Brothers, let's divide the fruits." Qin Feng approached, his hand unconsciously gripping the hilt of his sword.

"Hahaha, arriving late beats never arriving at all! Brother Qin, what a coincidence..." A voice suddenly came from the forest, and several straw men appeared, carrying a chair. A young man with a smiling face sat upon it.

He pointed ahead. "Brother Qin, there are four of you and only three fruits. Why not give them to me and avoid turning on each other?"

"What?" Qin Feng was stunned, recognizing the familiar voice.

Just as he was about to react, a shadow darted toward him.

In the next moment, Qin Feng's hand went numb, and the three fruits slipped from his grasp.

When he looked again, the fruits had already disappeared into Zhao Xing's hands.

"You, you..." Qin Feng desperately wanted to slash this arrogant face with his sword. This man had robbed him again and even revealed his selfish intentions.

"Brother Qin, I've resolved your crisis. Why no thanks? Are all of Lake City's martial officers this ungrateful?"

"I..." Qin Feng was seething with anger, silently cursing in his heart.

The other three also recognized that this was the 'senior' who had beaten them up before. Though they had been robbed, they dared not say a word.

"Thank! You!" Qin Feng ground his teeth, forcing out a smile uglier than a cry.

"No need to be so polite. I hope we meet again soon." Zhao Xing waved his hand and instructed the straw men to carry him away.

Qin Feng and the others watched helplessly, unable to do anything.

After all, they couldn't beat him.

Zhao Xing patted the mountain cat in his arms. "Look, you took their stuff, and they still had to thank us. Isn't that fun?"

"Meow!" The mountain cat nodded happily.

"..." Qin Feng could still hear his voice, feeling so frustrated he wanted to vomit blood.

Fun, your ancestors! That was the spiritual essence I worked so hard to obtain!

"Brother Qin, we still have another spot to try our luck. Let's go, let's go." One of his junior brothers tried to console him as Qin Feng gripped his sword tightly.

"Yes, you have the 48th incense stick, and Seventh Brother has the 42nd. We still have a chance."

Aside from the top ten who were teleported out, the rest would leave the same way they entered. Qin Feng's group had several locations to explore.

"Let's go." Qin Feng had no choice but to gather his confidence and leave quickly for the next location.

Donghu Mountain truly lived up to its reputation as a spiritual mountain. When they reached the spot 'Seventh Junior Brother' mentioned, they sensed the presence of more spiritual essences.

It was a small pond, crystal clear, with two glowing, unknown 'eggs' at the bottom.

"Looks like low-grade spiritual essences?"

"Yes, I sense the same."

"Is the water deep?"

"Not deep, just seven or eight meters."

"Any danger?"

"I'll toss a stone to test."

"Plop~"

The stone sank into the pond, and no beasts emerged.

The four of them were overjoyed—what luck!

Usually, even if you knew the location of spiritual essences, obtaining them was difficult.

Like with the previous cliff, climbing up had been a challenge, not to mention the dangers.

Now, though these were just low-grade spiritual essences, there were two of them, and with no apparent danger, it felt like a freebie.

"Seventh Brother, you've got good luck. The 42nd incense has this kind of effect, and it doesn't even require much effort."

"Yeah, it's just a pity about the ones Brother Qin found..."

"Don't mention it," Qin Feng waved it off. "Who's going down?"

"I'll go."

Soon, someone dove into the pond and retrieved the two mysterious 'eggs.'

The joy of obtaining spiritual essences helped lift the gloom from earlier.

However, before they could even celebrate, a familiar voice rang out.

"Hahaha, you all truly have fate with me."

"Very well, I shall save you from another disaster!"

Zhao Xing lay back in his chair, grinning, as he patted the mountain cat.

With a swoosh, the mountain cat leapt forward like lightning.

The Seventh Junior Brother, who was holding the two eggs, felt a numbness in his wrist and realized the treasures had vanished.

"Dammit, this is too much!" Qin Feng cursed inwardly and instinctively drew his sword.

"Brother, let it go..." The other three quickly held Qin Feng back. "Have you forgotten how we were strung up and beaten before?"

Seeing Qin Feng draw his sword, Zhao Xing smirked. "What, I save you from disaster, and you don't appreciate it?"

Qin Feng fully unsheathed his sword and turned to his junior brother. "Seventh Brother, do you like my sword?"

Seventh Brother: "..."

Having robbed the same group twice, Zhao Xing felt that perhaps their luck was simply too bad.

"Maybe it's not that their luck is bad, but that others' luck has improved. Compared to that, theirs just seems worse."

"The strong get stronger. After the first and second nights, the difference between the officials has widened."

"It's not just cultivation and techniques, but even in the unseen forces of fortune."

There was no doubt that Zhao Xing now belonged to the strong!

"After consuming those three fruits, I've already broken through to the seventh stage of Essence Gathering. Though my realm isn't among the highest on the mountain, with my little mountain cat, few can match my combat strength." Zhao Xing was in an excellent mood.

Before climbing the mountain, he had only been at the fourth stage of Essence Gathering, but in just two days, he had already reached the seventh stage!

Normally, even with good talent, it would take at least three months.

As for technique improvements, that was even more astonishing. Without the mountain, reaching this level might have taken a year. After all, conventional cultivation isn't a full-time pursuit, and life often gets in the way.

Cultivating at this pace is simply unparalleled!

"Low-grade spiritual essences." Zhao Xing examined the two eggs before cracking them open and sucking out the contents.

[You consumed a low-grade spiritual essence, gaining an additional 1 year of lifespan]

[You consumed a low-grade spiritual essence, gaining an additional 1 year of lifespan]

"My lifespan has now increased by 38 years." Zhao Xing was very satisfied. "I'm a little closer to my goal of immortality."

"After acquiring a cup of fortune, I've had two consecutive strokes of 'good luck.' If the pattern holds, there should be a third soon."

"I wonder where it'll happen."

Zhao Xing gave instructions to the straw men, who carried him as they wandered aimlessly.

"How's your recovery after consuming that spiritual essence? Have you made a breakthrough?" Under a wind-sheltered slope, Zhang Boran sat resting on a rock.

"Breakthrough? Hmph!" Wen Zhao snorted coldly.

"Don't tell me you still haven't broken through?"

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have wasted that spiritual essence!" Wen Zhao pointed to his swollen eye socket. "Most of the essence's effects were spent healing my injuries!"

Zhang Boran muttered, "Cousin, you can't blame me for that. Who could've expected that wastrel to summon an elder from the temple?"

"Sigh, it's just fate." Wen Zhao let out a heavy sigh.

They had once been in contention for the third incense stick and the top-grade spiritual essence it revealed.

But Zhang Boran had been hindered by 'Yuan Bo,' and ended up as the 10th to enter, far off their original goal.

Only the top five could receive a response from the True Lord and have their requests granted. Those entering later had a slim chance of obtaining the top-grade spiritual essence.

To be safe, Zhang Boran opted for a more certain reward and obtained two locations with mid-grade spiritual essences.

After exiting, he didn't act immediately but first sought out Wen Zhao.

After using one of the essences to heal Wen Zhao, they proceeded to search for the second.

Without Wen Zhao, Zhang Boran was just an ordinary eighth-stage Essence Gathering cultivator. With him, he was stronger than most ninth-stage cultivators.

Naturally, moving together was safer.

Ahead of them lay a small valley. In the valley stood a thick, incongruous monkey tree, laden with golden chestnuts. However, many robust ape-like beasts guarded it below.

"Cousin, have you rested enough?" Zhang Boran was eager to move, sensing many treasures below in the valley.

"Foot to the east, gaze to the horizon. My breath stirs the universe, bringing stability far and wide."

Wen Zhao chanted softly, and Zhang Boran immediately felt invigorated, his complexion glowing.

He leapt from the rock and descended into the valley.

A quarter of an hour later, Zhang Boran reappeared on the slope.

His left shoulder bore a bloody scratch, his hair was disheveled, and he was running frantically.

Wen Zhao's expression changed drastically. "You even lost your blade?"

"Cousin, run! We've hit the jackpot!"

Zhang Boran didn't care about losing his sword; his chest was bulging, and he carried a sealed clay pot under his arm.

"Land answers to my heart, shortening the distance!" Wen Zhao chanted rapidly, taking a single step and reappearing a hundred meters away.

Zhang Boran also ran with all his might as angry roars of pursuit echoed behind them. Several ape-like creatures chased them from the ground and the trees.

Neither knew how far they ran.

Finally, the sound of pursuing apes faded.

"That should do it." Wen Zhao was utterly exhausted.

"Whew~" Zhang Boran also stopped running.

"We've shaken them off. There's a bamboo grove ahead. Let's rest there."

"This bamboo grove looks tall and dense, a perfect place to hide."

"Alright." Zhang Boran nodded, and the two headed toward the bamboo grove.

As Zhao Xing waited in the bamboo grove for the Vajra Bamboo to ripen, he suddenly heard faint noises.

He rose from his chair and looked ahead, a strange expression on his face.

"Is that... Wen Zhao and Zhang Boran?"