The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

In the introductory section of The Great Dream of Spring and Autumn, under the "Dream Interpretation" chapter, there was mention of a spell called [Sleep bug].

"Just as the physical body has seven vital souls with parasitic organisms, subtle and hard to detect,"

"So too does the life soul have similar beings."

"The Sleep bug is one of them."

Zhao Xing carefully read through the text.

In this era of cultivation, the discovery of parasitic organisms within the body was not uncommon, but that the life soul also harbored similar parasites was something he was hearing for the first time.

"The Great Dream of Spring and Autumn even categorizes these life soul parasites into two types: beneficial and harmful."

"Some parasitic entities residing in the life soul are beneficial, even indispensable—like probiotics for the body?" Zhao Xing found this increasingly fascinating as he read on.

"The Sleep bug is one of the beneficial types."

"Without it, the life soul cannot sleep."

"If the life soul doesn't rest, the energy of the seven vital souls will gradually weaken, making the individual appear lethargic and weary."

"If deprived of rest long enough, the seven vital souls will deteriorate further, eventually leading to death."

"The Sleep bug only disappears when one reaches the first rank."

"Because, at that level, the three souls merge into one, and the soul begins to transform into a divine soul, moving toward perfection, expelling any foreign bodies."

"Wait, is this spell in the Dream Interpretation chapter teaching how to catch the Sleep bug?" Zhao Xing was a bit surprised—he had not expected such a spell to exist in this legendary technique.

It was his first time hearing about such a spell.

"By capturing someone's Sleep bug, you can prevent them from sleeping, leaving them in a state of constant mental excitement."

"Used appropriately, it can enhance long-term combat effectiveness, but if overdone, the seven vital souls will weaken, allowing you to kill someone silently and without a trace."

"Huh? You can do that?" Zhao Xing's eyes brightened.

At first, he thought the Dream Interpretation chapter contained abstract, theoretical stuff.

Unexpectedly, it dissected the nature of the three souls, breaking down the essence of the soul and dreams, with the interpretation of dream content being secondary.

"The Dream Interpretation chapter also mentioned a spell beneficial to oneself."

"It's called the Dream Storage Technique."

"The Dream Storage Technique can store memories, preventing important or long-forgotten information from being overlooked or forgotten."

"In ancient times, powerful cultivators often lived for thousands of years, and with so many memories, they sometimes couldn't distinguish between the past and present, which could easily lead to mental instability."

"But the Dream Storage Technique solves this issue by allowing some memories to be sealed within dreams."

"Additionally, the Dream Storage Technique can assist with certain breakthroughs in cultivation?"

Zhao Xing pondered the description of this method.

The Dream Interpretation chapter explained that certain mysterious aspects of creation and transformation held profound Daoist insights.

But the mysteries of the Dao were often too vast, and the insights could be overwhelming, causing the cultivator to be unable to bear them, potentially leading to problems.

The Dream Storage Technique could enhance a cultivator's mental capacity, essentially allowing them to create a mental palace or expand their mind's capacity.

"The Dream Entry chapter also has its fair share of wonders," Zhao Xing flipped to the second phase of the technique, "Once you understand the essence of dream interpretation, the next step is entering dreams."

"Enter your own dreams, enter the dreams of others, or pull others into your own dreams."

"However, the Dream Entry chapter doesn't really mention any attack techniques—it mainly describes a covert method of communication," Zhao Xing mused.

For example, when acting as a spy in a foreign land, any means of contact—whether through meetings, leaving clues, or using tokens—could be unsafe.

But transmitting messages through dreams would be far more discreet.

This was known as the Transmitting Dreams Technique.

"No wonder people always talk about receiving messages from Yin spirits in dreams. Dreaming, at its core, is merely the occasional intersection of the three souls."

Zhao Xing recalled his own Yin Wind spell.

"When I used the Yin Wind spell on Old Chen, he ended up having a nightmare."

"It was an accidental manipulation of his dream."

"Though it was a very shallow form of control, the Yin Wind spell is primarily an offensive technique."

Zhao Xing found this legendary technique very much to his liking.

Without hesitation, he began to practice the spells from the Dream Interpretation chapter.

[You observe the Soul Armor and comprehend The Great Dream of Spring and Autumn, focusing on the Dream Interpretation chapter, but gain no insights.]

[You observe the Soul Armor and comprehend The Great Dream of Spring and Autumn, focusing on the Dream Interpretation chapter, and gain a preliminary understanding of the soul.]

[You observe the Soul Armor and comprehend The Great Dream of Spring and Autumn, and after a night of meditation, you finally gain entry and learn the spell "Sleep bug".]

[Sleep bug: Mid-Level Spell]

[Progress: 0/9999]

[Effect: Capture the Sleep bug from a life soul.]

[You observe the Soul Armor and comprehend The Great Dream of Spring and Autumn, and after a night of meditation, you finally gain entry and learn the spell "Dream Storage".]

[Dream Storage: Mid-Level Spell]

[Progress: 0/9999]

[Effect: Build dream memory, enhancing the capacity of the life soul.]

Just the introductory chapters took Zhao Xing an entire night to comprehend.

The Great Dream of Spring and Autumn lived up to its reputation as a top-tier technique, with even minor spells like Sleep bug and Dream Storage being of mid-level caliber.

"They're both highly practical spells."

"Though this Dream Storage spell is quite challenging. I tried it once, and after a long time, I still couldn't succeed—it just left me feeling groggy," Zhao Xing muttered, shaking his head.

"Let's try the Sleep bug spell."

Sleep bug was relatively easy to practice.

He could simply use it on himself.

Zhao Xing focused inward, using his "Heaven Soul" to observe his "Life Soul."

Given that he had the Night vision spell as a foundation, he quickly located the Sleep bug within himself.

"Buzz~"

The Sleep bug was extracted into his palm.

[You used the Sleep bug spell once. Progress +20.]

"The Sleep bug spell can be both absorbed and released, making it an easy spell to train." Zhao Xing gently clapped his hands, allowing the Sleep bug to re-enter his body.

[You used the Sleep bug spell once. Progress +20.]

After two hours of practice, Zhao Xing paused.

Throughout the training, he carefully observed the effects the spell had on his life soul.

"A single use doesn't make much difference—it's barely noticeable."

"But after ten uses or more, the effects become quite clear."

Zhao Xing looked at the silver glow in his palm. Upon closer inspection with Night vision, he saw that many Sleep bugs had fused together, forming a stronger "Worm King."

This was a technique that could be mastered once the Sleep bug spell reached its first transformation—true mastery of the spell involved merging the Sleep bugs for more potent, quicker effects.

"If I collected enough Sleep bugs, could I make Old Chen fall asleep instantly?"

"Using this during a fight would be a killer move."

The more Zhao Xing thought about it, the more he liked this spell.

Fighting someone and making them fall asleep mid-battle—wouldn't that leave them at his mercy?

"However, when the life soul senses danger, its energy will surge. To achieve instant results, I'll need to keep training this spell."

With that, the Sleep bug dispersed, and Zhao Xing, feeling refreshed, stepped out the door.

He had a solid grasp on how to control the spell. Using it on himself even gave him a nice energy boost.

"Isn't today a rest day? Why are you up so early?" Just as he stepped outside, Zhao Xing saw Zhao Ruide practicing his stances under the locust tree.

"Old habits," Zhao Xing replied as he fetched a basin of water to wash his face. "Where's Zheng'er?"

"Still asleep." Zhao Ruide sighed, sounding somewhat helpless.

He truly didn't know what to do with his youngest son. He couldn't bring himself to hit him, and scolding him never seemed to work.

At his age, he had little resistance to the boy's pleas and whines.

Moreover, Zhao Zheng was a charming child, and his pleading was all the more effective, leaving Zhao Ruide unable to force him to practice martial arts.

"Why is it still like this?" Zhao Xing said with some dissatisfaction.

"The family is well-off—we don't lack for food or clothing. As long as his character is sound, there's no need to push him to achieve martial excellence," Zhao Ruide explained.

"But you've already decided to make him practice martial arts. If you let him slack off now, aren't you teaching him to give up halfway through? In the future, he'll never be committed to anything, thinking that just by whining to you, all his problems will be solved."

Being lectured by his adoptive son left Zhao Ruide slightly embarrassed.

"You're right, I do need to be stricter." He immediately grabbed a tree branch and, with determination, marched toward the bedroom.

However, upon reaching the door, he hesitated and glanced back at Zhao Xing. "Aren't you going to stop me?"

Zhao Xing was puzzled. "Why would I stop you? A father disciplining his son is perfectly justified."

Zhao Ruide hesitated further. "Isn't this branch a bit too big?"

Zhao Xing chuckled. "If you can't bring yourself to do it, don't pretend. If you're not going to use it, let me call him instead."

"Who said anything about not using it? I just wanted to find a smaller one…" Feeling awkward, Zhao Ruide retreated a bit and quietly swapped the large branch for a smaller one. He then stood sternly outside, waiting for Zhao Zheng to wake up.

Zhao Xing didn't intervene either. Instead, he stood by the door, quietly using the Sleep bug spell to wake Zhao Zheng.

He was careful not to overdo it.

After three uses of the spell, Zhao Zheng naturally woke up.

But even though he was awake, the boy remained in bed, rolling around and refusing to get up, which only made Zhao Xing laugh.

"You're going to get that beating no matter what."

Zhao Xing kicked open the door and marched inside.

"Big Brother, good… good morning," Zhao Zheng said, raising his head and smiling innocently, sensing that he was in trouble. He knew he had overslept.

So, he flashed a sweet, naive smile, hoping to melt his brother's heart.

Unfortunately for him, his brother's heart was cold and merciless.

"What did you promise Father? Do you remember the time you were supposed to start practicing martial arts?"

"Yes, it was at the hour of Mao (5-7 a.m.)."

"It's already a quarter past the hour of Chen (8-9 a.m.). You're nine quarters late. Go outside and find Father to receive your punishment—two strikes for every missed quarter."

"What?" Zhao Zheng's face immediately turned sour.

"Or should I do it?" Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow.

"No, no, I'll take the punishment myself!" Zhao Zheng quickly got out of bed.

"Move fast. You've only got another quarter of an hour before the time's up, and for every minute you delay, you'll get more strikes."

"Got it!"

Zhao Zheng dashed out of bed and hurried to wash up.

As Zhao Xing stepped out onto the street, the bustling morning life in Pingkang District greeted him.

He bought some breakfast and made his way to Chen Shijie's residence, only to spot a dainty woman sneaking around near the gate, carrying a basket and behaving like a thief.

"Hmm?" Zhao Xing, sharp-eyed and attentive, immediately sensed something was off.

He silently circled around and approached the woman from behind.

"Whoosh~"

A gust of Yin Wind swept past the woman, and Zhao Xing sternly asked, "Who are you? Who sent you?"

"Ah!" The woman was startled, turning around in panic, nearly stumbling.

Seeing that her energy was weak, Zhao Xing didn't strike immediately but kept a close eye on her.

"Speak! Why are you lurking around Chen Shijie's residence?"

"I… I…" The woman stammered, unwilling to say anything.

"If you don't talk, I'll take you to the authorities," Zhao Xing threatened.

"No, please don't! I… I'll just leave, okay?" The woman wiped away her tears, looking quite pitiful.

Zhao Xing hesitated. His Night vision spell had reached its peak, and with the added sensitivity from Yin Wind and The Great Dream of Spring and Autumn, his perception of life souls was sharp.

Using some tricks from The Great Dream of Spring and Autumn, he could tell that the woman wasn't lying.

Could it be she wasn't from the Xuantian Sect?

It made sense. No spy would use such clumsy surveillance tactics.

Just then, Chen Shijie flew out from his residence, landing between the two of them.

With a wave of his hand, the Yin Wind surrounding the woman dissipated.

Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow.

Old Chen really wasn't simple.

After all, this wasn't just any wind—this was ninth-transformation Yin Wind!

Even though Zhao Xing wasn't actively controlling it, for Chen Shijie to disperse it with just a wave—impressive.

"What's going on? Why are you using Yin Wind on a regular person?" Chen Shijie asked, supporting the woman and frowning at Zhao Xing.

"I saw her sneaking around your gate and thought she might be under the influence of the Xuantian Sect," Zhao Xing explained.

"She's not." Chen Shijie patted the woman's back and said, "Let's talk inside."

With a casual wave of his hand, a windstorm kicked up around the alley and gate, creating a corridor of swirling air.

Zhao Xing was taken aback. He wasn't sure if Old Chen was showing off or if something else was going on.

Something about Chen Shijie seemed a bit off today.

Was he hiding something?

Could this woman be his lover?

Even if she were, what would be the issue?

It was perfectly normal to have a lover. The customs of the Zhou Dynasty were open, and even unmarried couples frequently engaged in relationships. There was no need for secrecy.

Could she be a married woman?

That thought seemed to make sense.

Zhao Xing's gaze toward Chen Shijie suddenly changed.

He hadn't expected Old Chen, with his upright appearance, to be involved in something so scandalous.

Was he in trouble now?

"What are you thinking? It's not what you're imagining." After bringing the woman into his home and settling her in the guest room, Chen Shijie came back to the side hall to speak with Zhao Xing. "Guiniang is unmarried, and I am unmarried. It's not what you think."

"I didn't say anything," Zhao Xing replied, waving it off. "In my eyes, you're not that kind of person, Sir."

"I'm being transferred next year. I'll be heading to the army." Zhao Xing hadn't pressed for details, but Chen Shijie volunteered the information.

"Transferred?" Zhao Xing was surprised. He hadn't expected Chen Shijie to leave so soon, but it made sense. A military shennong like Chen Shijie was wasting his talent in a desk job.

Unless there was some major issue, he was bound to return to the military.

But Zhao Xing wondered if there was more to it.

"I've had some problems with political alignment for a while, issues that haven't been resolved," Chen Shijie said calmly. "That's why my relationship with Guiniang hasn't been public. Now that it's been settled, other complications have arisen, so we agreed not to see each other for a while, but it seems you caught us."

"You're not telling me all this just to make small talk, are you?" Zhao Xing asked, sensing that Chen Shijie had a deeper reason for sharing.

"You're right," Chen Shijie nodded. "I want you to come with me to the military. I've been planning this from the start. It's a waste for you not to be a military shennong. I can see you have great ambition. I initially thought I'd wait another year or two, but seeing how quickly you've progressed—your Yin Wind has already reached the ninth transformation."

"Come with me, Zhao Xing. A real man should fight on the battlefield. Don't tell me you enjoy staying behind in a cushy position. Spend a few years in comfort here, and all your talent will go to waste!"

At this moment, Chen Shijie wasn't treating Zhao Xing as a subordinate but as a peer. Ever since Zhao Xing had advanced, Chen Shijie had come to regard him as an equal.

What he said now came from the heart.

Zhao Xing pondered for a moment and said, "We can discuss this later, but can you first explain why, with half a year left before your transfer, you've already cut ties with Guiniang? What unexpected events are you dealing with?"

Chen Shijie smiled. "See? That natural caution and sharp instinct—I knew you were suited to be a military shennong. You're destined to meet Lord Hou!"

Zhao Xing remained silent. While he found Chen Shijie's character appealing, he wasn't about to agree without knowing the full story.

"It's the Xuantian Sect," Chen Shijie finally revealed.

The Xuantian Sect? Zhao Xing was taken aback.

Chen Shijie sat down, speaking slowly. "Starting about half a year ago, my Calamity-Repelling Almanac has issued frequent warnings. Over the past six months, I've had ten major calamity warnings and thirty-five minor ones."

"At first, I didn't know why. As a fellow ninth-rank official, no one else's almanac was giving such warnings—only mine. I couldn't pinpoint the cause. But after hearing more about various officials and officers being abducted across Nanyang County, I began to understand."

Zhao Xing asked, "Didn't you inform the authorities?"

Chen Shijie scoffed. "Have you forgotten? We are the authorities. What are they supposed to do, send a seventh-rank official to guard me? With just a few bad omens, should we expect round-the-clock protection? I couldn't even identify the cause at first. It wasn't until after the third major warning that I started investigating."

"I asked some friends in the military to look into the anomalies in Pinghai Prefecture over the past few years. That's when I began to suspect the Xuantian Sect."

"Afterward, I reported my findings to the county. But, as I said earlier, they can't assign someone to guard me all the time."

Zhao Xing asked, "Couldn't they conduct a large-scale search and root out these cultists?"

Chen Shijie shook his head. "You don't understand. The Xuantian Sect is no minor sect. In the Zhou Dynasty, the current seventy-two Taoist academies were formed when sects either submitted or were expelled under the founding emperor's policies. Among these academies, the Xuantian Sect is one of the top-ranked."

"They operate in extreme secrecy. Even during the reign of the founding emperor, they couldn't be fully eradicated—just driven out. If the founding emperor couldn't accomplish it, how could his descendants?"

"The Xuantian Sect has existed for over two thousand years. A sect that has survived for two millennia, occasionally wreaking havoc, is not something the Nanyang County authorities can quickly expose."

Zhao Xing thought for a moment. "That makes sense. You can't always prevent a thief if you're always on the defensive."

Chen Shijie nodded. "Since that realization, I've known the Xuantian Sect has likely marked me. And I suspect I'm relatively high on their list."

"That's why I stopped seeing Guiniang. I need to deal with this issue."

Zhao Xing was taken aback. "You're not planning to…"

Chen Shijie nodded. "Yes. I'm going to take a calculated risk, working with the military to set a trap, luring the Xuantian Sect to make a move on me. If we don't wipe out the cult's operations in Nanyang County, I won't feel safe leaving. These fanatics are ruthless. If they learn of my relationship with Guiniang, they could target innocent people."

Zhao Xing hesitated. "Isn't this too dangerous?"

Chen Shijie smiled. "If it succeeds, I can leave with peace of mind, knowing Guiniang is safe, and Nanyang County can remain tranquil. I'll even gain some merit before taking up my post in the military. It's a win-win situation, and this risk is worth taking!"