Chapter 115: Three Suns in the Sky, Troublemaker Zhao Xing, Five Elements Earth Splitting Technique

Zhao Xing also looked over. On the Sunfire Army's flying boat, there were two men and one woman. One of the young men was wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat. The other man and woman were dressed differently. The man wore armor and carried a battle saber, while the woman wore a magic robe and carried a cloud-brocade pouch.

"It looks like these three are a Cultivator, a Martial Artist, and a Weaver."

Special treatment was not allowed for the training. Before reporting, everyone received standard issue equipment of the same grade. Of course, trainees could choose the style of their equipment; for example, martial artists could select from eighteen types of weapons based on their proficiency. Engineers had an even wider selection. However, the quality grade of the distributed items was uniform for everyone, with no special privileges.

"Kid, if you run into a Sunfire Army Cultivator inside, beat them mercilessly!" Long Xiao harbored a grudge. "Beat them within an inch of their life, as long as they don't die."

"Why would you let him vent your frustration when you're the one who's weak?" Chen Shijie said. "Train hard, and then go challenge him yourself in the Sunfire Army."

"Zhao Xing, ignore him. Once you're inside, your first priority is to find the location of the Cultivator Supervisory Office."

"The higher you rank, the more points you'll receive. If you can earn ten thousand points, your subsequent training will advance much faster than others."

"With enough points, you can even request one-on-one guidance from the Cultivator Captains and Commanders inside."

In the military realm, training naturally involved the strong instructing the weak. Guidance from powerful individuals was also a resource that could be purchased with points.

"I understand," Zhao Xing replied. Both Zhao Xing and Chen Shijie were extreme pragmatists. Why bother fighting for no benefit? With the time spent on competition, they could be planting a few more trees.

Helian Lie and Lei Huan were also giving instructions to the people on their flying boat.

"Today, at You-shi (5-7 PM), the military Cultivator reservists will report. The other military branches will report tomorrow and the day after."

"Zhuo Lie, once you're inside, immediately pinpoint your location and quickly head to the Cultivator Supervisory Office."

"The top one hundred ranks will all receive points, but I hope you can achieve an even higher placement."

Helian Lie looked at the young man in the straw raincoat, Zhuo Lie, a talent he had selected from the local army. Many of the military Cultivator reservists present already had experience serving in the army. A significant number were chosen from roles such as auxiliary troops, granary managers, transport officers, and field administrators in lower-tier legions. However, the various armies of the Ten Suns Cavern Realm had higher standards for military Cultivators. Naturally, many were also assigned from well-known academies and Daoist institutes. As for those selected through the civil service examination system? They were very few.

"I will do my best," Zhuo Lie nodded.

Time ticked by, and soon it was precisely You-shi.

"Dong!!"

A resonant bell chimed, instantly echoing throughout the entire camp.

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"

Countless figures leaped from the sky towards the lake surface. The large lake below was one of the entrances to the Ten Suns Cavern Realm.

"So many people are jumping into the lake; at least two to three thousand dare to enter this way." Zhao Xing gazed at the scene below, resembling dumplings being dropped into a pot, and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's truly magnificent."

At that moment, he also jumped, falling from a hundred meters up. The reason for jumping from mid-air was to save time. Although the boundary wall of the small cavern realm was thin at the entrance, swimming from the lakeside would take a considerable amount of time to pass through it. However, jumping from the air allowed for a quick passage, which was a unique feature of the lake entrance. Choosing to enter this way meant enduring a strong impact upon crossing the boundary wall, so only those confident in their strength dared to jump from the air.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."

Zhao Xing felt the lake surface drawing closer. Long Xiao, watching from the boat, couldn't help but admire, "He's truly confident. His descent speed is already fast, but he's also using wind power to accelerate it further."

"To dare to do this on his first visit, he's utterly fearless."

Chen Shijie said, "Confidence comes from ability."

Long Xiao watched Zhao Xing plunge into the lake. "It's a pity, we still have to travel and can't wait here... I really want to know what number he is to report. I hope he gives us a surprise."

"It's all the same whether you see it sooner or later."

Seeing Zhao Xing disappear beneath the lake surface, Chen Shijie looked up and said, "Let's go. We need to meet the Marquis in Xier Commandery."

"Okay."

The moment he entered the lake headfirst, the impact wasn't significant, because it wasn't real water; the lake was actually an outward manifestation of the cavern realm's boundary wall. However, as his entire body submerged, an invisible repulsive force surrounded him, preventing further descent. Qi energy surged across his body's surface and also flowed into his Cloud-Treading Boots, allowing Zhao Xing to continue descending. After maintaining a rapid descent for about a quarter of an hour.

Suddenly—

The repulsive force reversed, turning into a powerful attractive force!

"I've entered the cavern realm's boundary," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "The repulsion changing to attraction is to prevent the loss of cavern realm matter."

At this point, he no longer needed his Cloud-Treading Boots to accelerate, simply letting the pulling force carry him downwards.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."

His descent speed rapidly increased. Zhao Xing felt himself dropping twenty to thirty meters with each breath, and the speed was still accelerating.

"The cerulean boundary wall is fading, I'm almost through it."

Zhao Xing prepared himself. At a certain moment, the faint blue suddenly vanished from his sight, replaced by a greyish-green. Zhao Xing felt his body lighten, as if he had broken free from something. However, his descent accelerated even further, and he also felt a scorching heat. This was because he had appeared in the sky. In the sky of the Ten Suns Cavern Realm.

"Summon Wind!"

Zhao Xing had been unable to cast spells while passing through the boundary wall, but now he could.

"Whoosh."

The mid-level Summon Wind spell, however, didn't achieve the expected effect. Zhao Xing felt the wind force; it was only half as powerful as outside. Zhao Xing controlled the wind force to flip his body. He had entered headfirst, but now his feet were pointing downwards.

"Cloud Tread!"

The hovering power provided by his Cloud-Treading Boots reappeared. But Zhao Xing realized his speed was still very high; at this rate, impacting the ground would still be extremely dangerous.

"The Earth Vein power is incredibly strong. The Ten Suns Cavern Realm is like casting a 'Subterranean Palace' spell on everyone who enters."

"Swish, swish, swish!"

Streams of golden light erupted from Zhao Xing's fingertips, striking the ground at an extremely fast pace. Since the Earth Vein power of the Ten Suns Cavern Realm was strong enough, casting the 'Subterranean Palace' spell would be even easier. The Boundless Subterranean Palace could absorb all external objects, and this absorbing force was naturally under Zhao Xing's control. It could also be used to counteract the downward pulling force.

"Buzz."

On the shallow ground surface, a subterranean palace quickly formed, reflecting the airspace where Zhao Xing was located.

"Summon Wind!"

Zhao Xing cast the Summon Wind spell again; this time, its power returned to normal. A strong gust of wind supported Zhao Xing, and his body stabilized about twenty meters above the ground.

"Crunch."

The dry twigs beneath his feet snapped as Zhao Xing landed on the ground.

"Hoo."

Zhao Xing took a deep breath but felt a scorching sensation in his chest, quickly exhaling.

"The air is a bit hot. How many suns are in the sky right now?"

Zhao Xing looked up and saw three luminous bodies in the southeast, southwest, and true north directions. The luminous body in the true north was the brightest, like a blazing midday sun. The lights in the southeast and southwest were weaker, to the extent that an ordinary person could look directly at them.

"Three suns in the sky, but their power isn't exceptionally strong yet." Zhao Xing's eyes narrowed slightly.

The Ten Suns Cavern Realm was named after these luminous bodies.

"The scenario with ten suns in the sky is the rarest; it has only occurred once in the five or six years since the cavern realm was discovered. However, when it does happen, it's a disaster. Aside from staying inside buildings protected by formations, even Grade Five experts can't last long, and anyone below Grade Five will die in a very short time."

"A single sun in the sky, rising in the east and setting in the west, is also very rare, with a probability similar to ten suns appearing. However, when it does occur, it signifies powerful vitality, a revival of all things, and the birth of many treasures, like a spiritual mountain or a place of great natural beauty."

"Normally, the Ten Suns Cavern Realm has three to five suns, and not all of them possess such immense power," Zhao Xing recalled the information in his mind. Some of the information he had just read in the armory, while others he had learned in his previous life.

"Currently, with three suns in the sky, located in the southeast, southwest, and true north, it's not too hot yet. The full power of the three suns will only be complete when they reach their proper positions," Zhao Xing mused. Right now, it was equivalent to two suns appearing simultaneously in the sky. Although it was scorching for ordinary people, the impact on Zhao Xing was not yet very significant.

"The time on the Auspicious and Ominous Almanac is completely chaotic." Zhao Xing pulled out the almanac from his pocket. They had departed at You-shi, and theoretically, the entry process should have only taken about two ke (half an hour), but the almanac now displayed Wu-shi San-ke (11:45 AM). Less than ten seconds later, it changed again to Xu-shi Yi-ke (7:15 PM).

"It's being affected by the chaotic temporal flow within the Ten Suns Cavern Realm," Zhao Xing thought, a flicker of contemplation in his eyes. "There's a way to calibrate it so that the time on the Auspicious and Ominous Almanac always follows the sun in the true cardinal direction."

In his previous life, after half the Ten Suns Cavern Realm had been explored, a Cultivator had summarized the "Ten Suns Positioning Method." The Ten Suns Positioning Method was very complex, but the Three Suns Positioning Method was relatively simple.

"You just need to cast a cloud spell to block out the other suns' light, open a window in the clouds, and point the Auspicious and Ominous Almanac at the sun in the true cardinal direction. Then the time on the almanac will return to normal."

"Once the time function is normal, the directional function will also be restored."

Zhao Xing decided to try it, as his current perception of southeast, southwest, and true north was based on his own orientation and light intensity. However, this judgment wasn't accurate. Being in different locations within the Ten Suns Cavern Realm, at different times, and with varying light intensities of the luminous bodies, could all lead to errors in his current assessment. To ensure accurate directions, he had to rely on the almanac, a Grade Three high-tier treasure.

"Cloud Movement!"

Just as Zhao Xing was about to conjure clouds above his head, a sound echoed two li away, and golden light shot into the sky. It turned out someone else was also casting a cloud spell.

"Hm?"

Zhao Xing looked in that direction, his bright eyes reflecting a flushed, square-jawed face.

"Could he also be trying to calibrate his almanac?"

"True, while the Ten Suns Positioning Method was only summarized later, it's not surprising for someone to know the Three Suns Positioning Method now."

He had initially thought the other person would dispel the clouds after calibrating their almanac. But to his surprise, the other person kept the clouds active and, without even looking at their almanac, simply walked in a certain direction. The square-faced Cultivator couldn't calibrate his almanac himself, but he also didn't want others to confirm their direction using the suns.

"He can't calibrate his almanac, so he's just using the clouds to block the three suns in the sky? If you're weak, you drag others down to the same starting line... Hmm, very Cultivator-like."

Seeing this, Zhao Xing no longer hesitated.

"Whoosh, whoosh!"

Golden light shimmered, soaring directly towards the sky. The Cloud Movement spell, which normally required one unit of qi to cast, now consumed twice as much, and its effect was greatly reduced. However, Zhao Xing's cloud layers twisted nine times in mid-air, forming a black vortex.

"Cloud Devour!"

The domineering Cloud Devour technique began to consume the other person's cloud qi, reducing his own consumption. The clouds quickly spread across the sky. It forcefully tore apart and devoured the square-faced Cultivator's cloud spell.

"Who?!"

The square-faced man was greatly startled. He hadn't expected his preemptive Cloud Movement spell to be overturned by a latecomer. One had to know his cloud spell was Mid-Tier Seven-Revolutions and that he practiced the Military Cloud Technique, already placing him among the experts in the reservist ranks. Through sensing, the square-faced man quickly perceived Zhao Xing's presence.

"He can actually tear apart and devour my cloud qi? What a domineering cloud spell, how have I never seen it before?"

"Which army are you from? My name is Ouyang Song, from the Five Discs Army in Lishui Commandery of Pinghai Province. I'm about to join the Suppressing Sea Army. Could we become friends and go together..."

Ouyang Song was attempting to befriend Zhao Xing and go to the Cultivator Supervisory Office together. But before he could finish speaking, the clouds in the sky vanished.

"Hm?" Ouyang Song looked up in surprise. "Didn't he just raise the clouds? Why did he dispel them already?"

When he looked back again, Zhao Xing had also disappeared.

"There are so many experts," Ouyang Song thought, watching the direction Zhao Xing had vanished. His small bit of pride dissipated. "I'm a genius in the Five Discs Army, but here, who isn't a genius?"

"Local geniuses are merely the threshold for participating in this training. I should remain more low-key..."

Ouyang Song no longer cast cloud spells, instead choosing a direction and honestly making his way.

Tens of thousands of people entered the Ten Suns Cavern Realm, but Zhao Xing noticed that not many had landed near him. Apart from the square-faced youth he had just seen, he hadn't encountered anyone else or detected any spell activity for the next quarter of an hour.

"It seems I crossed the boundary wall relatively early, which is good. It saves time fighting."

Zhao Xing consulted his map. He had now arrived in a fractured rock zone where no grass grew, only fine, dark red gravel.

"The Geofire Plain. According to the map, I'm on the eastern side of the Geofire Plain, while the Cultivator Supervisory Office is to its west."

"I could take a detour, but it would be eight times the distance."

"However, crossing the Geofire Plain is more dangerous. The earth-vein fire floats on the surface, making it easy to get injured even with a Golden Straw Raincoat. Furthermore, there are ranked exotic beasts blocking the way."

Taking a detour wouldn't necessarily be slower, because according to the map provided by Old Chen, the risks would be lower, and any fierce beasts encountered wouldn't be ranked. Not taking a detour, and wanting to pass quickly, depended entirely on one's ability.

"The Geofire Plain is an area that filters out geniuses from mediocrity. This single terrain is enough to eliminate seventy to eighty percent of the trainees." Zhao Xing didn't hesitate and directly stepped onto the Geofire Plain. He was quite confident in his own strength; having cultivated so many spells to perfection was enough to handle many complex environments.

"The Earth Vein's fire elemental power surges intensely, and there's no grass around, otherwise I could weave some straw figures to scout ahead."

"Five Elements Earth Severing Spell!"

After rapidly crossing a fractured geofire rock using his Cloud-Treading Boots, Zhao Xing suddenly cast a spell behind him.

"Rumble!"

The ground suddenly cracked open, and a fissure stretching seven to eight thousand meters appeared behind Zhao Xing. Dark red geofire rocks were exposed, and the earth-fire erupted violently, quickly spilling out to form a small river of lava.

"Gurgle."

The surging earth-fire formed pillars, like red ribbons. From the sky, this area now formed a segregation zone.

Great success in accumulating luck!

Zhao Xing revealed a slight smile. His idea was identical to Ouyang Song's. While making his own way, he also wanted to make it difficult for others to travel. Zhao Xing had just noticed that the earth-vein power here was unusual, making it an ideal place to cast the Five Elements Earth Severing Spell. So, Zhao Xing cast it without hesitation.

"The Five Elements Earth Severing Spell has drawn out all the earth-vein fire from below. Cloud-Treading Boots can only allow short low-altitude leaps, so even if those behind want to fly over, they'll have to consider if they'll be hit by the spewing earth-fire."

Zhao Xing gazed at his masterpiece with satisfaction, then continued on his journey.

Ten Suns Cavern Realm, Taicang Courtyard.

Taicang Courtyard was part of the Cultivator Supervisory Office and the reporting location for the military Cultivator reservists. At this moment, within a palace in Taicang Courtyard, two Cultivator officials sat at a desk. In front of them were dozens of mirrors, each over ten meters high. The mirrors reflected the key areas from the Great Lake Entrance to the Taicang Courtyard of the Cultivator Supervisory Office.

"The reservists participating in this training are quite ordinary; hardly any stand out," said one of the middle-aged officials, dressed in a standard Qilin-motif robe, as he sipped wine and casually flipped through a roster.

"Brother Lu, you say that every year," chuckled the other man, clad in armor with seven auspicious clouds on his chest. "You always tell these new recruits it's the worst batch. Didn't the Suppressing Sea Army and Sunfire Army produce a few good talents the year before last? They rose to commander level in just two years."

"Zizhi, what does their poor performance during training have to do with their later promotions?" Lu Bang looked at Zuo Zizhi. "Besides, those you mentioned largely relied on their family backgrounds, which is why they were promoted quickly."

"That's true. I hope there are some good prospects this year who can catch your eye, Brother Lu," Zuo Zizhi said.

"Whether they catch my eye or not, I still have to train them; who asked me to take this assignment?" Lu Bang tossed the roster aside. "I just hope it's not too boring. I'll take a nap first, Brother Zuo, could you keep an eye on things..."

"Buzz." Suddenly, one of the mirrors, marked with the Geofire Plain, began to shake. Beside the mirror were seven beads, representing Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, and Thunder, respectively. As the mirror shook, the red bead beside it also lit up, indicating an abnormal situation in that area.