The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

"The balance of the five elements breaks, and in an instant, yin and yang transform into true essence, thus causing a species to change with the seasons."

"The nation's fortune governs the four seasons, and once one becomes an official, people, too, change with the seasons."

Zhao Xing flipped through a page of the Shangluo Essence of Self, suddenly coming across such a passage.

The Zong family had an extensive library, and while Zong Shichang wasn't fond of reading, Zhao Xing enjoyed it.

After drinking the night before and knocking out Xiao Ze, Wen Nanxing, and Zong Shichang, Zhao Xing had stayed behind in the Zong family library to read.

The Shangluo Essence of Self sounded impressive since Shangluo wasn't just a place name but also the name of an ancient sage of the peasant class.

However, the book in Zhao Xing's hand was merely a miscellaneous work.

It wasn't even written by Shangluo and didn't contain any specific spells, only some insights and strange tales related to the philosophy of the Self School.

Booksellers frequently used the names of sages to sell more books—a tactic Zhao Xing had indeed fallen for.

Since he had time to kill, Zhao Xing casually flipped through it.

Unexpectedly, he found this passage.

"The nation's fortune governs the four seasons, and people, too, change with the seasons once they become officials. This is quite an interesting idea."

"The intense changes in weather cause some individuals within species to undergo significant transformations."

"But this book explains the seasonal changes of species through the lens of the Self School's philosophy."

"It argues that the changes occur because the internal balance of the five elements within a species is thoroughly disrupted."

"Thus, it reverts to a moment of yin and yang fusion, where true essence is born."

"As a result, the bloodline of life is entirely transformed." Zhao Xing carefully pondered this.

"The book even uses the example of officials in a kingdom ruled by fate."

"The author believes that the internal five elements within the human body are as vast as a world. The nation's fortune enters the body like the seasonal cycles, circulating violently through the internal five elements."

"Thus, the difference before and after becoming an official is enormous."

"But the fortune of the nation entering the body in this way is controlled and is a gentle form of 'human seasonal change.'"

Zhao Xing thought about it and realized the book indeed contained some valuable insights!

The concept of the "internal world" was later proven to exist.

Even now, there was some basis for it, such as when cultivators reached the fiftieth tier of Essence Gathering, a patch of "Pure Essence Soil" would form in their dantian, allowing them to cultivate special plants for use in battle.

But for now, such ideas seemed too advanced. Since no one had reached the point of turning their internal body into a world, these ideas were often dismissed as heretical and absurd.

Looking at the book's cover, Zhao Xing noticed there was no author's name and chuckled to himself.

"Of course. Zong Shichang enjoys collecting these kinds of unconventional books, so it's no surprise it's in his house."

As long as he didn't privately print or promote it, reading such banned books would at most result in a fine.

Regarding the book's theory on seasonal change in species, scholars from various schools—whether the Heaven School, Earth School, or the Self School—were still debating whether humans should be included in this concept.

Scholars opposing human inclusion argued that in the vast lands of the Nineteen Provinces, not even the strongest human cultivators had shown significant physical changes.

Though there were differences in body size, they argued humans remained fundamentally the same species, and any strengthening was simply a result of following the natural path of cultivation.

On the other hand, scholars who supported including humans in the seasonal change theory pointed out:

In the boundless lands of the Nineteen Provinces, rich with heavenly treasures and protected by the fortune of the nation, the changes humans undergo are mild and controllable.

However, in the wastelands beyond the Nineteen Provinces, the eight barbarian races, though initially humanlike, transform dramatically as they cultivate.

For instance, some grow horns, others sprout wings. In the harsh, inhospitable lands outside civilization, could it really be said that they are simply following the natural path of cultivation?

"When I was inducted as an official, I saw the shadow of a giant figure bathed in golden light, representing Emperor Jing. In reality, Emperor Jing can indeed grow that large."

"The nation's fortune cycles through the seasons, governing yin and yang within the five internal elements, and people, too, change with the seasons... I have to admit, The Shangluo Essence of Self has a certain logic."

When Zhao Xing had been just a player, he never cared for such theories. He would charge forward as long as he had a strategy.

But now, it seemed that some of the mystical scenes he had witnessed in his past life had gained new explanations.

Perhaps this would help him in future explorations of certain places.

"Regardless, the changes in an individual before and after becoming an official are indeed significant."

Zhao Xing glanced at his status panel.

[Name: Zhao Xing]

[Cultivation Level: Upper Ninth Rank]

[Life Soul: Mid-Ninth Rank]

[Occupation: Shennong Officer]

[Fortune: Level Three, Derivative]

[Essence Gathering: Thirteenth Stage (557/10,000)]

[Additional Lifespan: 75 years]

"The restriction on advancing is gone."

"My previous additional lifespan was 53 years, and now it's 75 years. Becoming an official increased my lifespan by 22 years!"

For a ninth-ranked official, a lifespan increase of about ten years was typical. In the reign of Emperor Wen, this figure was often over ten years, but Emperor Jing was stingier, and ninth-ranked officials usually received less than ten years of added lifespan.

Zhao Xing's lifespan had doubled because he had already reached the ninth rank.

His foundation was already solid, so the nation's fortune didn't need to distribute much to his cultivation rank.

When Zhao Xing had descended from the mountain, he had been at the sixth point of the Thirteenth Stage of Essence Gathering.

Before the imperial examination, he had reached just over two hundred points in the Thirteenth Stage. After three months, he had only advanced by a little over two hundred points due to certain restrictions.

Now he had reached 557 points in the Thirteenth Stage—an increase of less than three hundred.

The fortune of the nation entering his body had primarily gone toward increasing his lifespan, which was exactly what Zhao Xing had hoped for.

As for his personal fortune, it hadn't increased, remaining at Derivative Level Three.

Reaching this level of fortune made further advancement exceedingly difficult. Not even a promotion to the sixth rank would guarantee a breakthrough.

[Mastered Basic Spells (Perfected):]

[Vigorous Growth, Cloud Summoning, Wind Summoning, Thunder Summoning, Rainmaking]

With no more restrictions on his cultivation rank, Zhao Xing's spell comprehension had lost its hazy barrier, and that night, one of his basic spells broke through and advanced.

The universal spell, Night Vision, disappeared from the basic spell list and reappeared under the intermediate spells.

It was replaced by [Hawk Eye].

This retained the abilities of the basic Night Vision spell and added a lie-detection feature.

"Night Vision will eventually advance to the advanced spell [Mind Reading], where by simply looking into someone's eyes, I'll be able to know what they're thinking. It works perfectly on those weaker than me, but with peers, it's more challenging."

His [Five Elements Observation] spell had advanced from the seventh tier to perfection, while the basic [Earth Vein Consolidation] had also reached perfection.

With the restrictions lifted, Zhao Xing experienced multiple breakthroughs in one night.

In the intermediate spells:

[Wild Growth] advanced from the seventh tier to the ninth.

[Lightning Summoning] and [Yin Wind], which had been close to perfection before he became an official, had also reached perfection.

Meanwhile, [Ice Rain] and [Sleep Bug] had already been perfected before he became an official, so they remained unchanged.

The [Dream Storage Technique], a Life Soul secret method, was tied to his Life Soul's strength. Since there had been no change in his Life Soul, it remained at mid-ninth rank.

The intermediate spells Zhao Xing had created himself—[Lightning Chain] had advanced from the eighth to the ninth tier, and [Thunder Palm] had gone from the seventh to the eighth tier.

However, [Devouring Cloud], [Boundless Earth Palace], [Five Elements Earth-Splitting], and [Earth Vein Consolidation: Human Path] had not progressed. They had already experienced significant leaps due to the painting he had obtained, so they remained at their current levels:

[Devouring Cloud] was at the eighth tier, [Earth Palace] at the eighth tier, [Five Elements Earth-Splitting] at the seventh tier, and [Earth Vein Consolidation: Human Path] at the sixth tier.

[Four-Tier Treasure: Ice Pearl (Lower Tier)]

[Wind Crystal Earrings: Tier Three, Upper Quality]

[Six-Tier Treasure: Soul Armor]

[Pet: Mountain cat (Perfected Ninth Rank)]

[Plant: Heavenly Origin Pear Tree (Growth Stage)]

The small mountain cat that had followed Zhao Xing since the autumn equinox had reached perfected ninth rank, though it remained in its juvenile stage.

"In terms of possessions, I only have the soul armor, ice pearl, and wind crystal earrings left."

"I handed the Blood Spirit Needle and Blood Fiend Orb over to Old Chen and Long Xiao to handle."

"And the Heavenly Origin Pear Tree that Chen Shijie gave me has finally entered its growth stage, but it won't be long before I have to leave." Zhao Xing looked out at the bright moon, feeling an unexpected sense of melancholy, perhaps from drinking too much.

"Gucheng has become my hometown in some ways, and I should make sure everything is properly arranged."

Unknowingly, Zhao Ruide and his family had taken up a significant place in Zhao Xing's heart.

"Brother Zong, are you awake?" The next morning, when Zong Shichang opened his eyes, he saw Zhao Xing standing beside his bed.

"Ugh, how late did we drink last night?"

"Not too late. You all passed out by around 1 a.m."

"You can't blame me for that," Zong Shichang groaned, shaking his head. "It was Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze who couldn't hold their liquor. You must admit, I drank more than them, didn't I?"

"Absolutely."

Hearing that, Zong Shichang nodded in satisfaction. He called for his servants to bring new clothes and water for washing.

However, Zhao Xing stopped the servants before they entered the room: "I'll take care of it."

The servants hesitated for a moment, then said, "But the water basin hasn't been brought in yet…"

"No need to worry."

Zhao Xing carried in the folded clothes and towels, placing them by Zong Shichang's bedside.

"Huh? Who let Brother Zhao do this kind of work?!" Zong Shichang, seeing Zhao Xing doing a servant's tasks, immediately became furious.

"We're brothers—what's the big deal?" Zhao Xing laughed.

"In that case, I won't hold back," Zong Shichang replied, patting his face. "But where's the basin?"

"That's easy," Zhao Xing said, as a golden light flickered from his fingertips. Cloud vapor gathered into a basin, and with a splash, clear water filled it.

"I'm not used to washing my face with cold water."

"No problem." Zhao Xing waved his wrist, causing lightning to flash within the cloud basin, instantly heating the water and sending steam rising.

"Brother Zhao, you're incredible! Even if you ever get demoted, you could always work as a servant at Guixiang Pavilion and never go hungry."

"Come on, can't you wish me something better?"

"Haha," Zong Shichang dunked his face into the cloud water and scrubbed it before taking the towel Zhao Xing offered and drying off.

Zhao Xing also brought him a cup to rinse his mouth and, noticing Zong's damp hair, summoned a breeze to help dry it—providing impeccable service.

"Brother Zhao, just tell me what you want." After waking up fully, Zong Shichang realized something was up. "As long as it doesn't involve my life, we can talk."

"Brother Zong, I'll be leaving soon, and who knows when I'll be back." Zhao Xing bowed deeply, hands clasped. "Please, I'm entrusting you to look after my family."

"What are you doing?" Zong Shichang quickly rose and grabbed Zhao Xing by the wrist. "You don't need to say that. I'll naturally keep them in my thoughts."

Zong Shichang had expressed his desire to stay and serve in his hometown during the selection phase, meaning as long as he stayed within the Nanyang Commandery, he was likely to be granted his wish.

For other positions, such requests might not be granted. But for the position of Shennong officer, staying in a familiar place was actually preferable, making it likely that Zong Shichang would be allowed to remain in his hometown, at least during his time as a ninth-rank official.

The old Shennong officer, for instance, had been a local of Gucheng and had served there for decades.

After weighing his options, Zhao Xing realized only Zong Shichang had the capability to take care of his family. Others either lacked the power or couldn't be trusted.

"Rest assured," Zong Shichang gripped Zhao Xing's wrist firmly. "Your family is my family. If anything happens to them, you can use my head as a chamber pot!"

Zhao Xing activated [Hawk Eye], staring into Zong Shichang's eyes. Only after confirming his sincerity did he finally rise.

Zhao Xing hadn't done all this for nothing. In the future, when Zong encountered moments of hesitation, remembering how Zhao Xing had brought him clothes and water might add a bit of emotional weight in Zhao Xing's favor.

Zhao Xing also made a promise: "Brother Zong, if you ever face a major issue, remember to send me a letter. If you can stall the situation, I'll come to help you as quickly as possible."

Zong Shichang laughed, "What kind of trouble could I possibly get into? If anything, I'll just invite you back to drink, preferably at my wedding with Miss Liu, haha."

"Hahaha, deal! I'll be waiting in the Shenwei Army for your good news."

The temple exam had started on the first day of spring and lasted six days in total.

By February 11th, candidates from Gucheng had already been selected and sent to various places to begin their duties.

On February 13th, Shen Zhui hosted a farewell banquet for Zhao Xing and his friends, as his own assignment had been determined—he would depart on the fifteenth for his new post.

"For warriors, there are three main paths: one is to become a Sikou and oversee the criminal justice system; two is to become an inspector, maintaining local law and order; and three is to join the army, expanding the kingdom's borders."

"I had initially wanted to join the army, but I'm concerned about my elderly mother. Once enlisted, it would be hard to visit her, so I chose to enter the Inspectorate instead."

"The temple has issued my transfer order, assigning me to the Inspectorate of Sanjiao Commandery. It will take a month by land and fifteen days by water, but in an emergency, I can return by flying boat within five days, so it's not too far."

"Brother Zhao, you have great ambitions. This journey to join the army will surely see you rise quickly. Let us drink to your swift success, to rising through the ranks and earning your noble title!" Shen Zhui raised his cup.

"Take care, Brother Shen." Their cups clinked together, and they drank it all in one go.

On February 16th and 17th, Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze also departed.

February 18th, the day of Rainwater.

The rivers broke free of ice, wild geese flew north, and the vegetation began to stir.

Zong Shichang had his wish fulfilled, directly taking up a position as an assistant officer at the Gucheng Shennong Office. The office had three vacancies, and now he would be working alongside his mentor, Gao Linong.

On February 21st, Lu Qian and Liu Muqing visited the Zong family, but Zhao Xing was not present. Lu Qian was disappointed, as she and Liu Muqing were leaving for the Tianyin Academy the next day, while Zhao Xing had gone on a trip to Fragrant Mountain with his family. She left a letter with Zong Shichang to pass along to Zhao Xing.

On February 23rd, Zhao Xing returned from Fragrant Mountain with his father Zhao Ruide, younger brother Zhao Zheng, and Aunt Cai.

On that very day, he broke through to Lower Ninth Rank (Late Stage of Essence Gathering in the ancient cultivation system).

"My spell mastery is advanced enough that, when I reached the fifteenth tier of Essence Gathering, I was naturally recognized as having reached Lower Ninth Rank."

"With my current understanding of Dao and spells, I have no bottleneck up to the Eighth Rank, which corresponds to the Spirit Bridge Stage. Only my physical body—specifically the tier of Essence Gathering—lags behind."

Zhao Xing's comprehension of Dao and spells had surpassed that of most ninth-rank cultivators; what he lacked was simply the physical accumulation of Essence Gathering.

In truth, his pace of physical cultivation wasn't slow. It only seemed slower in comparison to his rapid progress in spell comprehension.

Thanks to the Dao Embryo Pill subtly altering his constitution, coupled with his many fortuitous encounters and the insights gained from the painting, Zhao Xing's understanding of Dao and spells was on par with many veteran eighth-rank officials.

As long as his physical body caught up in terms of Essence Gathering, he would face no obstacles to advancing—there would be no bottleneck, at least not until the eighth rank.

"For Shennong Officers, advancing in physical cultivation is slower than for warriors. I'm already at the fifteenth tier of Essence Gathering, and in Gucheng, I've used every method I can think of to accelerate it. I've progressed as fast as possible. If I want to go even faster, I'll have to join the army."

"I wonder when Old Chen will have news. I've been waiting for over half a month, and I'm still in the selection process."

With no news and nothing to do but wait, Zhao Xing decided to visit the temple.

Now that he was a formal official, he had access to study the Shennong classics, such as The Seasonal Command, The Image of Life, and Return of the Earth.

In the temple, Zhao Xing sat cross-legged, focusing on the twenty-four visual diagrams from The Seasonal Command.

"The curtains of heaven and earth are drawn, and spring, summer, autumn, and winter are painted. The mysteries of the Heaven School are all contained within these twenty-four seasonal diagrams."

Of the twenty-four visual diagrams, the clearest in his mind were [Rainwater] and [Spring Begins].

That was because the current season was Rainwater, and Spring Begins was the starting point for studying the Seasonal Command.

"The time of day affects how the seasonal diagrams appear."

"Each diagram has three levels of mastery: Understanding, Fixing, and Changing."

"Understand the season, Fix the season, Change the season." Zhao Xing could sense that the simple Rainwater diagram was full of boundless mysteries.

"The first level, Understanding, means comprehending the relevant spells from the diagram."

"The second level, Fixing, means that once you've comprehended enough spells, you can fix the seasonal diagram in your mind. At that point, the diagram won't change with the time of day, as you've fully grasped it. This is the first step toward mastering the seasonal cycle, allowing you to command heaven and earth."

"The third level, Changing, means you can manipulate the seasonal cycle at will. You still perceive the seasons, but you're no longer bound by them, having reached true mastery."

"When all twenty-four seasonal diagrams are mastered to the third level and fully integrated, one can reach the rank of a first-grade official and become a Grand Shennong!"

Zhao Xing attempted to comprehend the [Rainwater] diagram. His [Ice Rain] spell was already perfected, so using it as a foundation to study the Rainwater diagram brought many insights to mind.

However, just when he seemed on the verge of understanding a new spell, the Rainwater diagram would suddenly blur, and all inspiration would vanish.

"Huh? What's going on?" Zhao Xing opened his eyes, filled with confusion.

He had clearly felt he was about to grasp a new spell, yet at the critical moment, everything was cut off.

Why was this happening?

Walking up to the temple platform, Zhao Xing picked up a yellow paper slip and wrote down his doubts. He then stood before the statue of the True Lord, lit three sticks of incense, and burned the paper slip.

As a formal official of Da Zhou, Zhao Xing could now seek the guidance of a True Lord through this method.

This was one of the distinctions between a minor official and a full-fledged one. A minor official could only receive spells through fate and had to rely on personal understanding. In contrast, formal officials could request clarification from the True Lords. Of course, this applied only to True Lords who had previously transmitted laws; those who hadn't wouldn't respond.

After a short while, the statue of Lord Caoxi came to life, transforming into the form of an elderly farmer dressed in hemp clothes.

"Greetings, True Lord." Zhao Xing cupped his hands in respect.

"The issue doesn't lie with you," Caoxi said, holding the yellow paper slip that Zhao Xing had burned. It bore the question he had written.

The issue doesn't lie with me? Then what's the problem?

"Please enlighten me, True Lord." Zhao Xing humbly sought an explanation.

"You are using [Ice Rain] to comprehend the Rainwater diagram, but what you are understanding are all destructive spells. Since you are not a military Shennong officer, the Rainwater diagram will automatically hide the more destructive spells from you," Caoxi explained. "That's why you couldn't fully grasp it—it's not your fault."

Zhao Xing nodded, "Then why was I able to learn Yin Wind and Ice Rain earlier?"

Caoxi chuckled, "At the time, you were just a minor official with only three tiers of Essence Gathering. Your internal energy was just a trickle, so when Loyal Marshal Zheng Lun transmitted Yin Wind, Lightning Summoning, and Ice Rain to you, it was a matter of opportunity. Sensing what you sought in your heart and recognizing your potential for battle spells, he passed them on without any concern."

"But now that you've reached Lower Ninth Rank, with many intermediate spells already perfected, your internal energy flows like a river. Unless you become a military Shennong officer, you won't be permitted to learn more powerful spells."

Zhao Xing understood. It was similar to how a county-level inspectorate provided standard weapons—three-tier crossbows and swords were more than sufficient.

When catching a petty thief, you wouldn't be given a divine cannon, right?

Just as weapons were allocated based on official rank, with higher-level areas like Northern Sea strongholds granting six-tier treasures such as the Guarding Barrier, spells were similarly regulated!

For instance, the [Return of the Earth: Human Path] spell was theoretically forbidden from being used within Da Zhou's borders.

Currently in the selection phase, Zhao Xing wouldn't be able to learn more advanced spells unless he became a military Shennong officer.

"You could shift your focus and try using the Rainmaking spell to comprehend the Rainwater diagram. That way, you won't encounter the same issue," Caoxi suggested. "Your progress in Dao comprehension will continue accumulating, but you won't be granted access to the more destructive spells."

"I understand now. Thank you, True Lord, for clearing up my confusion." Zhao Xing cupped his hands once more, then ended the conversation.

People change like the seasons, and laws have their own rules. Although Zhao Xing now understood the situation, he couldn't keep delaying things forever. He decided it was time to visit Old Chen and ask about the current state of affairs.