Chapter 118: You Still Say You Can't Do Yin Wind? Unfair, I'm So Unfairly Treated

The first 100 individuals to reach the Ministry of Agriculture will receive a substantial amount of reward points. Driven by self-interest, this was no time for politeness.

"Soul-Assaulting Dark Wind!" Zhao Xing stretched out his hands, and dark winds rapidly rose from the ground, coiling around them. Having perfected the Dark Wind spell, he could now cast it at will, making the execution more subtle and the winds appear much faster. In the Five Elements, wind conquers lightning. Although this entire region was shrouded by the Thunder Pool, and the geomantic veins were undoubtedly affected, there was certainly no shortage of wind within them.

"Go!" With a thought, a wisp of dark wind from Zhao Xing's fingertip split into two streams, darting towards fifteen individuals in total. Controlling fifteen wisps of dark wind simultaneously made each smaller, yet more potent and discreet. While casting the dark wind, Zhao Xing didn't even turn his head, discerning the positions of the fifteen individuals solely by the subtle shifts in the air currents. He continued to run forward without stopping.

"Whoosh." The dark winds swirled before penetrating the bodies of the fifteen individuals from various directions.

"Cough, cough..." "Hiss, it's freezing!" "Huh? Why am I seeing illusions?" "Is this a dark wind attack? Who's doing this?!"

The speed of all fifteen individuals immediately decelerated. However, there were variations in how individuals reacted. Four of them didn't immediately identify the dark wind as the cause, instead attributing the effect to the immense pressure from the surrounding lightning. Another six correctly identified it as dark wind but assumed it had naturally emanated from beneath the earth. Only five individuals not only recognized the influence of the dark wind but also immediately deduced that it was a deliberately cast spell, not a natural phenomenon.

"The Thunder Pool stretches for thousands of miles. Although wind conquers lightning, with such a terrifying Thunder Pool pressing down, dark winds would never naturally surge from the ground below." "Someone must have cast a spell!" Yu Chunwu, stepping on a cloud, slowed his pace, simultaneously scanning the individuals running in different directions with caution.

"The direction the dark wind came from just now pointed directly to him! It's Li Feng of the Tiger-Dragon Army!" Yu Chunwu gazed at the tall figure running ahead of him to his left, a flicker of anger in his eyes. "Hmph, I didn't expect a genius ranked ninth in the Tiger-Dragon Army's selection to resort to such underhanded tricks."

Unlike other armies, the Tiger-Dragon Army's selection process involved pitting the geniuses against each other in individual battles. The Dragon Head Battleship toured various states and regions; at each stop, it would seek out military agriculturists of similar age and rank from local armies to spar with. Through these battles, their reputations naturally grew. As the highest-ranked garrison in the Ten-Yang Grotto-Heaven, the Tiger-Dragon Army naturally garnered significant attention, which is why Yu Chunwu recognized Li Feng immediately.

Coincidentally, from another direction, He Yu, who also recognized the dark wind as an artificially cast spell, likewise fixed his gaze on Li Feng. "It has to be Li Feng!" "I noticed everyone else was affected, but he and one other person seemed barely impacted." "Hmph, I, He Yu, am not afraid of you! If you won't let me pass, you won't have an easy time either!"

If these two mistakenly accused Li Feng because of the direction Zhao Xing's dark wind took, then the judgment of the other two was entirely swayed by Li Feng's reputation.

"How devious! He actually used dark wind to harm people, yet he's pretending ignorance and just rushing forward. How can I, Peng Ran, be someone who takes a beating without fighting back? Take this!"

"His name is Li Feng, and it even contains 'wind'; this dark wind must be his doing. Never mind, I won't argue with him... What? Three people are attacking Li Feng? Count me in, Yang Yang!"

Consequently, after Zhao Xing employed the dark wind to affect these fifteen individuals, three distinct groups reacted in vastly different ways. Yu Chunwu, He Yu, Peng Ran, and Yang Yang simultaneously cast spells, besieging Li Feng. The first three attacked almost at the same time, with Yang Yang being slightly slower. However, this also had an advantage: upon seeing that Yu Chunwu, He Yu, and Peng Ran's spells were all "Heavenly Timing" techniques, he immediately supplemented them with a cooperative "Earth Advantage" spell to obstruct the enemy. The military agriculturists' sense of cooperation was simply ingrained in their very bones.

The second group consisted of those who knew there was dark wind but were unaware it was a deliberate spell. Now, as Yu Chunwu, He Yu, Peng Ran, and Yang Yang launched their attacks with shouts and yells, the second group instantly grasped what was happening. Seizing the opportunity to "kick a dog when it's down," they, too, cast a spell in Li Feng's direction.

The third group, completely unaware of what was happening, neither knew about the dark wind nor intended to fight. Recognizing their inadequate strength and having been injured by the sudden turn of events, they immediately moved far away, deviating from the direct path into the valley. Seeing this unfold, Zhao Xing allowed them to leave. Those who had been injured by his initial dark wind attack posed little threat, so there was no need to concern himself further with them.

He simply hadn't anticipated such an extreme reaction from the other two groups. Their conclusions also took Zhao Xing by surprise. When he cast the dark wind, he made it swirl in such a way that the direction of the dark wind each person felt pointed towards one or two *other* individuals. Yet now, why were they all targeting the young man with the prominent ears?

"Li Feng? Hearing them shout his name, it seems they know him. Is he famous?" In a flash of thought, Zhao Xing decided he couldn't dwell on such details. He instantly transformed his dark wind spell into a lightning spell, directing it towards Li Feng's position. At the same time, he loudly shouted, "Li Feng, you're going too far! Take a strike of my heavenly lightning!" In truth, Zhao Xing didn't know Li Feng at all; he simply made the choice most advantageous to himself based on a subconscious assessment of the situation.

Li Feng was speechless. At this moment, Li Feng was utterly at a loss for words. He hadn't done anything, yet suddenly, twelve people were shouting and launching attacks at him. Furthermore, these were all immediate reactions, leaving Li Feng with no chance to explain himself.

Li Feng was instantly flustered. The soil beneath his feet began to arch, and just as he was about to ascend on a cloud, the ground cracked open, and a vine shot out from below, coiling around his feet. Immediately after, six bolts of heavenly lightning descended, striking his head. His top-grade, Tier-3 Hundred-Flower Straw Hat instantly malfunctioned, smoking and becoming useless. In addition, seven wind cones hurtled towards his chest, the backs of his knees, lower abdomen, groin, throat, and face.

"Whirlwind Shield!" Li Feng immediately summoned a torrent of tangible, cyan wind that spun continuously around him. It swiftly severed the coiling vines, finally allowing him to withstand the second wave of attacks.

"It really is you! Your wind is practically tangible, and your mid-tier wind spell is perfected. We didn't provoke you, yet you're going too far!" Zhao Xing shouted, all while continuing to run. In reality, no one had stopped; they were all casting spells while on the move. Hearing these words, Li Feng was so enraged he felt like he was fuming.

"Damn it! I didn't do it!" Who could possibly understand his unjust predicament? He still suspected Zhao Xing, but at this point, he truly couldn't explain himself.

"Li Feng." Yu Chunwu's hands continued their movements. "You still want to argue? If not you, then who? Do you dare say you don't know the Dark Wind spell?"

"Bang!" Li Feng blocked a summoned lightning bolt, then opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Because he *did* indeed know the Dark Wind spell! However, compared to his Gale spell, his Dark Wind spell was only at the fourth-turn mastery level. But would anyone believe him?

"Don't think I'm afraid of you just because you've gained fame in the Tiger-Dragon Army's selection!" He Yu threw a bead, and the raindrops on it suddenly shot out, forming a volley of ice arrows in the air. "Take this arrow rain from me too!"

"The Dark Wind spell is indeed difficult to master, but my Lightning Sword is certainly not to be underestimated!" Lightning flickered across Peng Ran's brows and palms as he unleashed his signature move. As for Yang Yang, he didn't attack again because he specialized in earth spells, which required more time to cast. In his former army, he primarily focused on coordinating military actions, unlike these others who each possessed a formidable offensive spell. For offensive spells, speed is paramount.

Li Feng truly felt an overwhelming sense of grievance and frustration. "What the hell do your powerful spells have to do with me?!"

"Enough!" Li Feng erupted in anger. "You want a fight, do you? I'll see this through to the very end with all of you!" "Today, no one is leaving!"

*Boom!* Before his words faded, a fiery red cloud immediately spread above Li Feng's head.

"The Blood Cloud spell is exceptionally peculiar; it can retaliate against the caster through the cloud's energy. Once entangled by a Blood Cloud, it's impossible to break free quickly, and both blood energy and cloud energy will be excessively depleted. Winning the cloud struggle inflicts maximum damage on the enemy." "Though it lacks a certain seamlessness, the cloud rolls nine times, and a nine-turn Blood Cloud spell should not be underestimated. Li Feng is getting serious now."

Zhao Xing looked at the cloud above Li Feng's head and immediately recognized the mid-tier cloud spell the opponent was cultivating. At the same time, he knew that Li Feng was genuinely enraged. If it were merely a sparring match and not intended to be serious, military agriculturists typically wouldn't employ cloud spells. Casting a cloud spell meant fighting for supremacy, a battle to the death. Then again, if it were him, he would also feel wronged and become enraged.

"Time to escape." Zhao Xing glanced around and immediately retreated. He was now closest to the valley entrance and furthest from Li Feng's position. The waters had been thoroughly muddied, so he needed to extract himself.

Zhao Xing had no prior experience as a military agriculturist officer; many of his spells were not fully cultivated, and he hadn't even practiced techniques like the Seasonal Decree, Myriad Growth Diagram, or Yin-Yang True Self Scripture. If it came to a real fight with so many people, he might not be able to escape unscathed.

"Dark Wind, go!" Zhao Xing seized the opportunity to cast a wisp of dark wind, blending it with a low-tier wind spell, to attack Li Feng. This caused Li Feng to be momentarily disoriented, losing his lock on Zhao Xing's direction.

"Withdraw!" Zhao Xing seized the chance, immediately ascended a cloud, and dashed towards the valley entrance. He quickly vanished within the valley entrance, having already entered the thunder cloud region. Li Feng's Blood Cloud spell completely lost all trace of Zhao Xing.

"It was him!" "That bastard! Just you wait for me!" Li Feng discovered the true culprit and stared intently in Zhao Xing's direction. However, for now, he still had to deal with the individuals currently attacking him. Since he had truly erupted in anger and a fight had begun, any explanations would have to wait until after he won; otherwise, it would be seen as a sign of weakness and cowardice. Regardless of who was right or wrong, they would always try to step on him!

"I didn't do this. But..." Li Feng stared intently at the group. "You have truly angered me." "Come on, didn't you want a fight?!" "All of you, come at me!" Li Feng roared.

"Are we afraid of you?!" "Today, we'll certainly break your spirit!" "Attack!"

***

Ministry of Agriculture, Taicang Hall.

There were even more people gathered before the Earth Mirror Instrument in Taicang Hall. After all, with so many reserve military agriculturists to train, the number of instructors and trainers would naturally be substantial. While Lu Bang was responsible for new recruits reporting and their assignments, some individuals present held higher positions and possessed greater strength than him. These powerful figures would occasionally visit Taicang Hall to observe.

"Lu Bang, the military agriculturists began their training in the Ten-Yang Grotto-Heaven today. You've been observing for several hours. Do you have any promising candidates to recommend?" an elder with a white beard but vibrant spirit asked Lu Bang as he entered the Earth Mirror Hall.

"There are a few. What kind of candidate are you looking for, Marquis Tian?" Lu Bang replied.

"I belong to the 'Earth Advantage' faction, so naturally, you should seek out those with talent in that domain. Please observe the regions of Suspended Ridge, Heavy Water River, and Geothermal Plain for me. If you discover any promising individuals, inform me in advance," the elder said with a slight smile.

"No problem at all, please rest assured," Lu Bang said with a smile as he saw the elder off. In truth, he said the same thing to everyone who came, but how he actually proceeded? Ultimately, he still had to follow protocol.

After seeing the elder off, Lu Bang returned to the mirror. "Let's see where that kid is now," he murmured. He was observing Zhao Xing. Ever since Zhao Xing's spell wreaked havoc in the Geothermal Plain, tormenting many later arrivals, Zuo Zizhi and Lu Bang had been closely monitoring him.

"After leaving the Geothermal Plain, he headed towards the Thunder Pool of Ten Thousand Miles," Zuo Zizhi said, pointing. "However, he had bad luck; he ran into Li Feng and his companions."

"Oh?" Lu Bang immediately looked at the Earth Mirror Instrument. He was familiar with Li Feng. Among the first batch of Tiger-Dragon Army recruits, Li Feng was quite exceptional. As one of the earliest arrivals, Li Feng had spent over a month outside the Grotto-Heaven. The spell sparring matches among military agriculturists generated considerable commotion, and while outside, Li Feng had also accepted challenges from several subsequent groups of individuals. Li Feng had achieved many victories, losing only five matches. Ultimately, among the Tiger-Dragon Army's new recruits, Li Feng was ranked sixth.

"There are three others who are also quite good," Zuo Zizhi said, holding a booklet. "Yu Chunwu, selected by the Blazing Sun Army, and He Yu and Peng Ran, selected by the Black Armor Army."

"Hmm," Lu Bang nodded slightly. However, to him, the three individuals Zuo Zizhi mentioned were merely "good." The only one he truly found impressive was Li Feng, and now Zhao Xing had joined that short list.

"What's going on? Their speed is slowing down," Zuo Zizhi suddenly remarked, looking at the screen. "It sounds like they're shouting something."

"I'll adjust the audio," Lu Bang said, also curious. Soon, with his adjustments, sounds emanated from the Earth Mirror Instrument.

"Li Feng, you're going too far!" "Li Feng, do you still claim you don't know the Dark Wind spell?"

Listening to the voices and watching Zhao Xing on the screen, Lu Bang's expression instantly became highly amused. He had naturally noticed Zhao Xing's subtle actions earlier. While discreet at first, as an observer, he immediately understood the entire sequence of events. Since Zhao Xing didn't know Li Feng at all—he hadn't even been outside the garrison for two hours—Zhao Xing's words were entirely deliberate, aimed at instigating Yu Chunwu and the other three to attack Li Feng.

"Quite treacherous, isn't he?" Zuo Zizhi chuckled, having also realized that Zhao Xing had cast the dark wind. "If he were to fight fairly, he probably couldn't even handle Yu Chunwu, given his lack of experience as a military agriculturist." "But with this interference, he ironically became the one with the most advantageous position."

"How can that be called treacherous?" Lu Bang said. "Among fifteen people, for him to gain an advantage in such a situation—that's cleverness."

"He is quite clever," Zuo Zizhi nodded. "It's just that Li Feng is somewhat unjustly accused, falling into Zhao Xing's trap for no reason and unable to explain himself."

"Hahaha, he certainly got the short end of the stick," Lu Bang also burst out laughing after watching. "If it were me, I'd want to chop that kid Zhao Xing into pieces." "Look, Li Feng has also figured out who caused the trouble, but that kid has already slipped away."

Inside the valley, hearing the enraged roars from behind, Zhao Xing ran even faster. "I wonder what misdeeds Li Feng committed to incur such a widespread assault with just a casual push."

Zhao Xing had arrived relatively late at the Ten-Yang Grotto-Heaven garrison; he knew that many military selections began quite early. After all, civil servants had to wait until spring for official appointments, but military recruitment, as well as selections for academies and Daoist institutions, began even before the New Year.

"Perhaps he arrived early and gained a reputation at the outer garrisons?" Zhao Xing pondered the words of the individuals ahead, finding it quite plausible. "He's too high-profile, attracting envy." "However, being too low-key isn't good either. The military is combative; being too modest gives the impression of a weakling, and everyone will try to take advantage."

Military officers aren't like civil officials. In Gucheng, individuals like Tang Wanchun, Gao Linong, and Pang Yuan had at one point harbored ill will toward him and often made sarcastic remarks to Xue Wenzhong. But ultimately, they were civil officials, and the overall atmosphere was one of courtesy and restraint. The military, however, was a different story.

"Be high-profile when necessary, for instance, when there are reward points to be earned. Otherwise, maintain a lower profile and avoid constantly appearing in public." "Only contend when there's an advantage to be gained, and when you do, try to use surprise attacks, just like this time. Blindly fighting and acting on impulse are both to be avoided." Zhao Xing established these principles for his conduct within the Ten-Yang Grotto-Heaven.

"Boom-crack!" A startling thunderbolt jolted Zhao Xing awake. He immediately stopped thinking about Li Feng and focused intently on navigating the Thunder Pool of Ten Thousand Miles.