The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

After following Chen Shijie around for a while, Zhao Xing had greeted almost all the officials. His family, however, was the last to meet him.

"Big brother! Big brother!" Zhao Zheng shouted as he rushed forward when he saw Zhao Xing stepping down from the ceremonial platform, but he was quickly stopped by the East Lake soldiers maintaining order.

"These are my family members," Zhao Xing said. The viewing areas for officials and civilians were separate, and without prior permission, civilians couldn't easily enter the area.

"Go register up front, then come here for a search..." one of the soldiers, stern-faced, started to speak, but before he could finish, a squad leader came over and interrupted him. "These are family members of Zhao, the Shennong officer! No need for registration, let them through!"

The round Zhao Xing made on the platform wasn't for nothing—many of the East Lake soldiers had taken note of him.

The soldiers had seen him conversing with their superiors earlier; how could they not pay attention?

"Thank you," Zhao Xing said with a smile and a polite bow.

Finally, Zhao Xing's family—Zhao Ruide, Zhao Zheng, and Madam Cai—were allowed to enter.

"Big brother, you're amazing!" Zhao Zheng exclaimed in admiration, his eyes glowing. "All those high-ranking officials were smiling at you on the platform."

Zhao Xing didn't bother explaining to Zhao Zheng that most of those smiles were out of respect for Old Chen, not him.

After breaking through to the ranked realm, his senses had become more acute. He could now tell that Old Chen was far more than a simple ninth rank officer on the surface.

"Have you been waiting long?" Zhao Xing asked, ruffling Zhao Zheng's hair.

"Yeah, a long time. I even peed three times before you came out!" Zhao Zheng complained with a hint of grievance. "And when you finally came out, you were surrounded by so many people. I called out to you, but after just a couple of shouts, I suddenly couldn't speak anymore. I thought I'd gone mute! But then, after a while, I could talk again..."

Zhao Xing realized they had been affected by the 'silence' spell cast by Li Wenzheng earlier.

Zhao Ruide, his adoptive father, asked, "How are you? No injuries?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine."

"Good."

Father and son exchanged a few brief words before falling silent.

Madam Cai, who usually had much to say, was uncharacteristically quiet. The occasion was too grand, and Zhao Xing's demeanor had changed significantly since before he entered the mountain, so she didn't dare speak much. Though tired, she forced herself to stay alert, smiling as she held Zhao Zheng close.

Zhao Xing thought for a moment, then pulled a silver note from his robe. "Adoptive father, Madam Cai, I made quite a bit of money during the mountain trip. Please take this silver note for the household."

"Five hundred taels?!" Madam Cai's eyes widened.

Zhao Ruide, however, remained calm. "What's this for? The family isn't in need of money. Keep it for yourself."

"I made enough on the mountain to cover my cultivation expenses. Please, keep it." Seeing that Zhao Ruide didn't reach for the note, Zhao Xing handed it to Madam Cai instead.

Someone nearby clearly gulped in envy.

In the past, Madam Cai might have accepted the note gladly, but today, for some reason, she hesitated. Even though her hand twitched and her eyes were fixed on the silver note, she couldn't bring herself to take it.

"I really have more," Zhao Xing reassured her, pulling out another silver note, also worth five hundred taels. "See? I'm not lying."

Seeing Zhao Xing's insistence, Zhao Ruide finally nodded, signaling Madam Cai to accept it. "Very well, let her keep it for you."

"Of course! I'll take good care of it!" Madam Cai, now fully awake, gingerly tucked the silver note into her clothing.

While Zhao Xing was chatting with his family, a similar scene was unfolding at a fisherman's house by the shores of East Lake.

"The Yin Spirits on East Lake Spirit Mountain have already ranked the officials," said the head of Sanwan Hall, removing his fishing gear as he spoke to his 'wife' who was waiting for him. "Two of the candidates we had our eye on are dead, and three more are crippled."

"That's not bad. It lightens the load a bit," the middle-aged woman said with a smile as she helped him remove his sweaty undershirt and began wiping him down with a towel.

"Lightens the load?" The burly man spread his arms wide and snorted. "It's quite the opposite. The pressure on us has only increased."

"What do you mean?" The woman wrung out the towel and switched to a clean one.

"Li Chengfeng reached Essence Gathering ninth level—that's not too surprising. But Zhao Xing, he jumped from Essence Gathering fourth level straight to the ranked realm and collected forty-two portions of essence all by himself!"

"That one man alone has made our mission several times more difficult," the hall master grumbled in frustration.

They were supposed to capture individuals with decent talent, but if the talent was too high, it would be a major hassle.

It meant they'd have to pay a much higher price to accomplish the task.

"Forty-two portions of essence?" The woman was taken aback. "That means there's top-grade fortune essence in the mix? That's a real problem."

Fortune essence greatly increased the difficulty of capturing the individual. If someone could easily be caught, they wouldn't be considered fortunate in the first place.

To counter such 'good luck,' they'd have to expend even greater resources.

"Exactly. Annoying, isn't it?"

"This situation probably doesn't call for us to act personally," the woman frowned. "Didn't the Protector mention that we were supposed to capture Chen Shijie as well? If the higher-ups decide to send more people, this task could just be a bonus."

"It's not that simple. Once, maybe twice, but not a third time. We've already acted once in Nanyang County, and security has tightened significantly since then. When I was at East Lake Mountain, I felt danger everywhere," the middle-aged man muttered. "And if we fail, we'll be stuck in this miserable place."

"We can't even use any spells, and every day we're suppressing our vital energy, suffering day and night under the torment of Yin Spirit Fire Curse..."

"The Protector has to travel between counties on horseback; you have it easy compared to him," the woman said, placing her hand on the man's chest. "Shall I help ease the curse?"

The man grabbed the woman's chest with one hand while pressing her head down with the other. "Make it quick. The Protector will be here soon."

"Don't worry, I know the timing." The woman tossed the towel aside and knelt down.

Half an hour later, a carriage pulled up outside the house, and an elderly man knocked on the door.

"Protector." The head of Sanwan Hall opened the door to greet him.

The elderly man entered the house, sniffed the air, and frowned at the hall master. "Your Yin Spirit Fire Curse is flaring up again? It hasn't been that long."

His voice was soft, but the hall master's face paled with fear. "It's my failure."

"Hmph, if you get detected, your death won't be pretty," the elder lightly touched the man's forehead. A flash of red light appeared, and the man immediately exhaled in relief. "Remember, only expel the curse on Yin days at Yin hours. Don't let me catch you again."

"Yes, sir."

Protector Falcon sat at the table, tapping his fingers three times before speaking. "Tell me about the situation on East Lake Spirit Mountain. I only have a quarter of an hour before I need to head to Hucheng."

"Li Chengfeng of Gucheng, Zong Shichang, and Zhao Xing have all made significant progress, but Zhao Xing is the most noteworthy, having collected forty-two portions of essence," the woman explained in detail.

Protector Falcon listened quietly, his expression unchanged. "Remove Zong Shichang from the list. He's a waste of time; I was misled earlier. Turns out his reputation was all talk, inflated by his subordinates. Recently, I've learned that he's been living off his family's wealth and even had to hire people to help him climb Spirit Mountain."

"Understood," the woman nodded.

"Move Li Chengfeng up to fifth place; he's a promising candidate."

"As for Zhao Xing..." Protector Falcon paused in thought. "Move him to the top of the list. If there's a chance to act, you could even prioritize capturing only him among the officials."

"Protector, is Chen Shijie still on the capture list?" the hall master asked.

"Is that something you should be asking?" Protector Falcon turned his head and tapped the table lightly.

The man's face flushed with pain. "I overstepped."

"Keep watching, and when the opportunity arises, take him to the Far West Continent."

"Understood."

"Brother Zhao, care to join us for a meal back in the city? My treat at Piaoxiang Pavilion!"

"Brother Zhao, now that the mountain trial is over, Li and Peng are hosting at the Rejuvenation Courtyard. Would you honor us with your presence?"

As Zhao Xing was chatting with his family, several other officials came up to invite him to dinner.

Among them were Zong Shichang, Li Chengfeng, and a few others hosting gatherings.

After three exhausting days on the mountain, a little gathering seemed like a good idea. Zhao Xing was just about to accept Zong Shichang's invitation when he suddenly felt a warmth in his chest.

His Calamity-Repelling Almanac vibrated slightly!

"Hmm?" Zhao Xing stepped aside to check.

Jingxin Calendar, Fifteenth Year, Ninth Month, Twenty-fifth Day, Late Morning, Four Quarters Past Si Time.

Calamity Warning: Minor Misfortune; Weak Will, Inauspicious for All Affairs.

The system also updated with a new message:

Calamity-Repelling Almanac Passive Warning: Based on your fortune level and available information, you have received the following insight:

At the Si hour, as you leave East Lake Mountain and journey back to the city with your companions, the Xuanyuan Sect will see an opportunity and initiate a kidnapping plan. You resist and narrowly escape death, turning minor misfortune into a great calamity!

Although it was only a minor misfortune, the detailed explanation on the system revealed that Zhao Xing's journey back to the city could result in an encounter with members of the Xuanyuan Sect, leading to an abduction and escalating into a great calamity!

With his fortune at Derivation Three and the sensitivity of his Calamity-Repelling Almanac, Zhao Xing had received a comprehensive interpretation based on what he knew about the Xuanyuan Sect, further enhanced by his fortune level.

"Everyone, I need to spend time with my family today. Let's gather another day," Zhao Xing politely declined all the invitations.

Given the possibility of being abducted, he couldn't afford to ignore the warning.

He had reaped a lot of 'good fortune' on the mountain. According to the natural law of personal luck, after a peak comes a decline, so he expected to face some minor misfortune next.

But what did 'Weak Will' mean? It referred to sticking with companions of similar strength.

If he followed through with the plans to join his fellow officials, what might have been a small misfortune could escalate into a great calamity. That would be too big a risk!

"How did it go?" Lu Qian asked, looking expectantly at Zong Shichang.

"He turned me down." Zong Shichang shrugged, then asked curiously, "Why are you suddenly interested in him? You two don't have much of a connection."

Disappointed, Lu Qian huffed, "Why are you asking so many questions? Aren't you the famous Zong Da Young Master of Gucheng, someone no one dares to refuse? Yet you can't even invite someone to dinner? Pathetic."

Zong Shichang was left speechless.

Being looked down upon by a woman left him feeling humiliated. "I couldn't get him today, but that doesn't mean I can't get him tomorrow. Just wait—I'll make sure you two have that meal!"

"Fine!" Lu Qian smiled. "I'll wait for your news. And don't worry, I'll bring Qing'er along when the time comes. But don't disappoint me, or don't expect me to play matchmaker for you again."

"Deal!" Zong Shichang left, satisfied.

On the other side, Li Chengfeng also received word that Zhao Xing had declined the invitation.

"That's actually a relief," he murmured to himself, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Inviting Zhao Xing hadn't been his idea. It was just that everyone else was talking about inviting Zhao Sijia along to join the celebration, so he followed suit.

But if Zhao Xing had actually shown up, it would have made Li Chengfeng uncomfortable.

Now that Zhao Xing wasn't coming, he felt much more at ease.

Back at East Lake Mountain's Earth Altar Plaza:

"Why are you still here?" Chen Shijie asked, curious. "Everyone's heading off to have some fun. Why aren't you going?"

The rankings and evaluations were over, and most of the officials had left in small groups, heading back to the city to unwind.

Yet Zhao Xing was still lingering around, refusing every invitation.

"I'm not much for fun," Zhao Xing said, somewhat insincerely. "It's not my thing."

"No need to be so hard on yourself," Chen Shijie laughed. "When it's time to relax, you should enjoy yourself. Next year, before your official appointment, will be the most relaxed time you'll have. Once you're officially appointed, you'll have plenty of work to do."

Zhao Xing had already reached Lower Ninth Rank, and progressing further would be much slower unless he formally entered the ranks of officials. His cultivation would only return to normal after his appointment.

Before the Winter Evaluation, only two more tests remained—on the Start of Winter and Winter Solstice.

Given Zhao Xing's current situation, securing top marks in these tests wouldn't be difficult, and earning a recommendation for the Winter Evaluation was practically guaranteed.

He had already caught the attention of the county-level Shennong Division officers, so getting a place in the Winter Evaluation should be a sure thing.

The only unpredictable factor was the Imperial Examination, which was beyond anyone's influence, even with connections in Nanyang County.

"I really don't enjoy those kinds of gatherings," Zhao Xing repeated. "Let me know when you're ready to head back."

"Alright," Chen Shijie didn't press further.

At midday, the East Lake Army entered the mountain.

By mid-afternoon, Zhao Xing left with Chen Shijie, accompanied by his family, and boarded the Flowing Cloud Flying Vessel, which took off from East Lake Mountain and landed a mile outside the city gates, giving them a brief experience of flying.

Later in the afternoon, the head and deputy of Sanwan Hall had been keeping watch along the roads back to the city but hadn't seen any sign of Zhao Xing.

"Seems like it's not the right time to act," the hall master sighed. Zhao Xing was crucial to their mission; they could afford to forgo capturing the other targets but not him.

"Let's go. After all these years, what's a little more waiting?" The deputy picked up his load and continued walking. "We'll get another chance."

"Yeah."

Once Zhao Xing entered the city, the Calamity Warning vanished, and no more signs of misfortune appeared.

On the way back to Pingkang Ward, Madam Cai held onto Zhao Ruide's arm while Zhao Zheng, still excited from the flying vessel ride, bounced around the street, peppering Zhao Xing with questions.

"Big brother, how high can the flying vessel go?"

"Very high."

"Big brother, what if you need to pee on the vessel?"

"Just go over the edge."

"Huh? Won't you fall off? And what if the wind blows it back onto your pants?"

"Just wash it."

"Big brother, big brother—ouch!"

Watching Zhao Zheng trip and fall, Zhao Xing shook his head in exasperation. This clumsy kid... With a flick of his fingers, a gust of wind gently lifted Zhao Zheng back to his feet.

Zhao Zheng's feet kicked in the air, laughing as he was raised up.

"Yay! I'm flying again! Faster, big brother!"

That night, Zhao Xing returned to his room, shut the door and windows, and pulled out two pieces of yellow paper, crafting them into Guiding Talismans and Soothing Soul Talismans.

Both talismans were at their maximum level of mastery, so they were completed in less than a quarter of an hour.

"Now that my cultivation has improved, I wonder if I can gain some benefits from the Grand Dream Academy. The damn Xuanyuan Sect is always targeting me, so I need to get some better treasures for self-defense."

After waiting for the ink to dry, Zhao Xing affixed one talisman to his forehead and the other to his abdomen, then contorted himself into a peculiar position on his bed, muttering softly:

"Student Zhao Xing, humbly requests the Grand Dream Academy to open the door to learning!"