Chapter 14: Palm Clouds in the Hand, Three Feet of Heavenly Thunder

Zhao Xing was pleased, but Lady Cai was not. She really wanted to hide the meat and save it for later, but it was already in the pot, making it hard to take out. So, she simply added more, thinking that otherwise, Zheng'er wouldn't get enough to eat. After all, the child had started martial arts training, and his nutrition needed to keep pace.

"Eat, eat, eat, may you choke, you country bumpkin," Lady Cai muttered, glaring fiercely at the pot. She banged the cutting board loudly, as if the piece of meat were Zhao Xing himself.

The noise from the kitchen noticeably increased, but no one paid it any mind.

This was because Zhao Ruide was training Zhao Zheng in the courtyard.

He was performing his stake stance, and although it was unclear how long he had been standing, he remained utterly motionless, like a steadfast pine tree.

Although he was nearing 60, his breathing remained long and steady, his vital energy flowed like mercury, and the density of his primeval energy far surpassed Zhao Xing's.

"'Mountain-Sitting Stance,' standing like a sitting mountain. This is barely a mid-third-rank martial artist's stance, yet it has been practiced to feel like a high-grade technique. It seems that with enough dedication, even minor spells can wield great power," Zhao Xing mused to himself.

Both martial arts techniques and spells have the potential to transcend their inherent ranks and lead to new insights, essentially having no limits. Of course, in the current version, such occurrences are rare. This is partly because there are numerous ways to acquire spells and martial arts techniques, and once a practitioner reaches 'Nine Revolutions' (maximum proficiency), they typically move on to cultivating higher-level abilities. The other reason is the restrictions imposed by the world's rules; this kind of phenomenon would only become common in a 'revival' version of reality.

While Zhao Ruide practiced diligently, his posture perfectly upright, absorbing and expelling primeval energy with each breath, Zhao Zheng, nearby, was completely listless. He wiggled his feet one moment, twisted his waist the next, scratching his ears and cheek — his mind was clearly not on the training.

Seeing Zhao Xing return, his eyes immediately lit up, as if he had finally found an excuse to stop practicing. "Big Brother is back! Big Brother! Father, you two chat! I'll go get towels for you!" he exclaimed.

This little rascal didn't genuinely like him; he simply wanted to avoid martial arts training! Right now, he'd call even a dog "brother" if it meant getting out of training; this little guy was quite cunning!

With that, he immediately got up and scurried away.

"Come back! Who told you to move?!" Zhao Ruide bellowed.

Zhao Zheng, grinning, ran off, completely disregarding Zhao Ruide's words.

Zhao Xing found the situation amusing. It was rare for fathers to teach their sons martial arts because they simply couldn't bring themselves to be tough. What's more, Zhao Ruide had had Zhao Zheng late in life and doted on him excessively. At most, he'd say a few harsh words, but how was that supposed to achieve any real training?

"Zhao Zheng, come here."

"Huh? Big Brother..." Zhao Zheng stood rooted, looking conflicted.

"One, two..."

"Coming, coming!" Zhao Zheng jolted and immediately ran over.

"Father hasn't said you're done, so why are you running? Keep standing!"

Zhao Zheng's small face immediately fell. With furrowed brows, he reluctantly stood beside Zhao Ruide.

"Bend your knees, puff out your chest, put your hands in place!" Zhao Xing said, unceremoniously kicking Zhao Zheng's knee joint.

"I'm standing properly, Big Brother, I'm standing properly," Zhao Zheng replied, not daring to get angry, even offering a fawning smile.

Zhao Ruide merely pretended not to see his youngest son's undignified behavior.

However, Zhao Zheng couldn't really be blamed. His mother doted on him and his father spoiled him; even when he misbehaved or made mistakes, he was never physically punished. Only Big Brother was different; he truly did beat him, and he always made sure it hurt. If he complained to Father, Father would still only say a few words. If he complained to Mother, Mother couldn't even argue with Big Brother! Despite having no blood relation, there was a peculiar sense of natural dominance. As a result, now whenever Zhao Zheng saw Zhao Xing, he behaved as meekly as a quail.

Dinner was served in the courtyard. Zhao Ruide wasn't particular about such things, and Lady Cai, being a former singing girl, also didn't care for minor formalities. Since the courtyard was cool, they ate there.

With Zhao Xing present, Zhao Zheng ate much more properly. However, after eating for a while, he still couldn't sit still. "Mother, I'm hot," he complained.

Although he addressed Lady Cai, Zhao Zheng's eyes eagerly darted towards Big Brother.

"I'll fan you," Lady Cai immediately said, putting down her chopsticks to fetch a palm fan.

"No need for such trouble," Zhao Xing said, reaching out a hand. Immediately, dark clouds appeared overhead, just enough to block the setting sun's rays. At the same time, a gentle breeze brought coolness, making Zhao Zheng's eyes sparkle at the sight.

Even Zhao Ruide was somewhat surprised. "You can already conjure wind? And the clouds are quite a bit larger."

Zhao Xing nodded, "I've made some progress recently."

It was more than "some" progress; Zhao Xing's 'Cloud-Walking' technique now had a proficiency exceeding 5000. In professional terms, that was 'Cloud-Walking Fifth Revolution,' capable of covering five kilometers.

Zhao Ruide was experienced, and he clearly perceived the spell's advancement. Moreover, seeing his adopted son's demeanor, this effortless execution was vastly different from before.

"Is there hope for you to become an official this year?"

Zhao Xing put down his bowl and chopsticks. "I have about eighty percent confidence."

Zhao Ruide asked, "What about the remaining twenty percent?"

Zhao Xing considered for a moment. "A good mentor and a recommender."

Although Xue Wenzhong had agreed to take him as a disciple, he hadn't formally acknowledged him as a master yet. It was uncertain how much effort the Old Minister of Agriculture would put into recommending him, and relying solely on him might not be sufficient. Becoming an official primarily depended on the assessment, but recommendations also held some weight, particularly when several candidates achieved similar or identical scores.

Zhao Ruide nodded, not asking anything further.

Over the next few days, Zhao Xing noticed that the family's meals suddenly improved in quality, consisting mostly of ingredients that nourished primeval energy.

At the Ministry of Agriculture, just as dawn was breaking, Zhao Xing arrived at Xue Wenzhong's Huai-Liu Courtyard.

"Boom-crack~" "Boom-crack!"

A dark cloud, merely three meters square, hovered five meters above Zhao Xing's head. The sound of thunder was incessant, and the flashes of lightning made Zhao Xing's face flicker between light and shadow. A moment later, the dark cloud dispersed.

Zhao Xing checked his system panel.

Thunder: Basic SpellProgress: (3005/9999)Effect: When 'Cloud-Walking' is active, can produce thunder within the clouds.

"'Thunder' has already reached the third revolution, and its power is growing stronger. The Old Minister of Agriculture is truly a treasure of an old man," Zhao Xing couldn't help but exclaim.

He had only just learned 'Thunder' a few days ago, and in that short time, it had already reached the third revolution. Such rapid progress, aside from the Dao Embryo Pills and the blessing of fortune, was also greatly aided by Xue Wenzhong's specialized guidance. For instance, just now, Xue Wenzhong had him control 'Cloud-Walking' to within about three meters before casting 'Thunder.' This casting method was very demanding on control, but the training effect was immense. In other words, it yielded a significant amount of proficiency!

"'Cloud-Walking in the Palm, Three-Foot Heavenly Thunder'—this is something I've developed myself," Xue Wenzhong said. In his palm, clouds appeared, with lightning snakes swirling within them. "The imperial court disseminates countless spells, and anyone can learn them. However, finding the best, most optimal, and most suitable casting method for oneself—that is 'the Art.'"

"You should ponder this thoroughly. This morning, practice in the backyard while thinking. I will check on you periodically after class. I heard you achieved 'Superior A' in the Minor Heat assessment a few days ago, but you must not become arrogant. There's still a significant gap between you and the top students from other academies; those thirty people on the A-list are all stronger than you."

"Yes, I will remember that, Master," Zhao Xing said, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture.