Chapter 179: Natural Disasters Strike Zhao Xing's Response Strategies

Cloud City, Department of Agriculture.

After the meeting concluded and Cloud City's prevention and control plan was confirmed, he returned and immediately led his team to begin work.

The first step was to set up checkpoints at the mouths of various tributaries entering Cloud City from the Canglan River basin.

These were not ordinary checkpoints, but rather magical formations.

Even before reinforcements arrived, Zhao Xing had tasked Ling Yuan with crafting a batch of formations called 'Water Cleansing and Primordial Array'.

Currently, Ling Yuan was leading his team to deploy an array at the entrance of the 'Mei River'.

Zhao Xing had requested a group of martial artists from Xia Jing, and they were now helping to lift the array bases from the flying boats.

The array bases were primarily composed of fifth-tier 'Silken Azure Crystal Mother' material, supplemented by third and fourth-tier materials, resembling enormous black boxes.

Each weighed ten thousand tons, and the Artisans' specially designed dragon boats could only transport twenty array bases at a time.

"My lord, the dragon boats' triple hoists have already deployed forty-five array bases. The formation at the Mei River entrance is expected to be completed by tomorrow," Ling Yuan reported to Zhao Xing. "With the martial artists' help, progress has been much faster than anticipated."

Zhao Xing glanced at the river surface and told Ling Yuan, "Ask the brothers to work overtime and finish it today."

"My lord, they haven't slept for three days. Shouldn't we..."

"I sent the martial artists to help precisely because I want it completed as quickly as possible," Zhao Xing replied. "The Southern Barbarian shamans will undoubtedly make their move in April. Working hard now, even if it's tiring, is far better than being dismissed from office or losing our lives later."

"Please explain these reasons clearly to the brothers, Lord Ling. It is imperative that there be no cutting corners or slacking off. As long as you stay, no one else will complain. Endure this hardship for now, and your team can rest tomorrow."

"Understood, your subordinate will certainly hold this post." Although Ling Yuan was also exhausted, since Zhao Xing had given the order, he could only comply.

While he didn't agree with Zhao Xing's elaborate methods, Zhao Xing didn't need his agreement; obedience was sufficient.

After observing the situation there, Zhao Xing hurried to the next location.

"What does this array defend against?" Long Xiao asked curiously. "I'll make a note of it; it might be useful later."

Following Zhao Xing, he too had become eager to learn.

"How much do you know about the shamans of the Southern Barbarians?" Zhao Xing asked.

"The character 'Wu' (巫) has a horizontal stroke on top representing heaven, another horizontal stroke below representing earth, and a vertical stroke in the middle representing a divine mountain. Some also say this vertical stroke represents a divine tree."

"Categorized by rank, there are Heaven Shamans, Earth Shamans, and Human Shamans."

"Heaven Shamans reside in the sacred mountains deep within the Southern Wilderness. Generally, the tribal chiefs or kings of other races are also of the Heaven Shaman rank."

"The Southern Barbarian sacred mountain commands all tribes and kingdoms, and various hidden sects also dwell there."

"By type, there are many: the Five Elements, Wind, Thunder—that's seven already. There are also Blood Shamans, Insect Shamans, Beast Shamans, and more. The most common are Strength Shamans, who are similar to our martial artists, but their combat styles are diverse."

"Classifying them by position is far more complex, as customs vary across the Southern Barbarian regions. For instance, in some areas, any shaman can perform sacrifices, and even Strength Shamans possess the ability to conduct rituals. However, in other tribes, only specific types of shamans can do so."

"I can remember the fighting styles of twenty-seven major tribes, along with their shamans' specialties."

Zhao Xing gave a thumbs-up. "Knowing all this, the imperial court would easily grant you the title of Marquis of Martial Arts."

Long Xiao chuckled, "Stop flattering me. You still haven't told me what kind of array you had the Heavenly Crafts Workshop deploy."

Zhao Xing explained, "When the Southern Barbarian tribes go to war, they always deploy shamans first to cast spells using the Canglan River basin. Have you heard of the Ten Heavenly Shaman Disasters?"

"I have," Long Xiao replied. "It's a legendary spell: sand turning into lice, crops failing, clear water turning to blood, beasts going berserk, the world turning into an ice blade, rivers of blood overflowing, terrifying parasites, evil gods devouring souls, darkness descending, and severing connections between heaven and earth."

"It's said that even Heaven Shamans cannot cast the final step."

Zhao Xing nodded. "The legend you're referring to is the Ten Divine Disasters of Heaven Shamans. If it were cast to its final step, everyone would perish together, and the area where it was cast would become forbidden land. It wouldn't be used unless it was a war of extinction."

"We won't talk about such extremes. What I'm defending against is the Human Shaman level's Ten Insect Plagues."

"The Ten Insect Plagues?" Long Xiao stroked his chin. "I think I've heard of it somewhere."

Zhao Xing clarified, "A seventh-rank Insect Shaman can cast the Ten Insect Plagues. The specific insects involved, and their names, can vary."

"If it were a normal natural disaster, I wouldn't fear it. We could go head-to-head, and who knows who would win."

"But an Insect Shaman is very troublesome. With the advantage of terrain, they only need to summon enchanted insects upstream, allowing aquatic insect eggs to drift downstream and secretly enter Cloud City."

"If it's an Earth-level Insect Shaman, a single mother insect could wipe out all human and animal life in Cloud City, and military doctors wouldn't be able to save them."

"Even if I could use the 'Waiting Transformation Method' to kill these mother insects, their reproductive capability is too strong, making them very difficult to deal with. If they truly infiltrated, the Department of Agriculture and the Medical Department would have nothing else to do. Therefore, we must prevent them from entering."

"The fifth-tier Water Cleansing and Primordial Array is the best method to defend against Insect Shamans."

"Ling Yuan doesn't understand because he believes this formation is too obscure, and there's no need to create it at such a high level."

"Insect Shamans are difficult to cultivate and don't appear frequently on the battlefield."

"However, it's better to be prepared. The prefecture supplied Cloud City with so many materials; I certainly won't let them go to waste."

"I'll give you a book to read carefully; it's all about Insect Shamans."

Long Xiao nodded. "I've indeed seen few Insect Shamans, but you're the expert, so your word goes. 'Water Cleansing and Primordial Array'? I've noted it; I'll read about it when I get back."

Zhao Xing explained all this to Long Xiao not purely to clarify his doubts, but because he knew that Insect Shamans, rarely seen in the past two centuries, would appear in large numbers during this war.

While Great Zhou was progressing, the Southern Barbarian tribes were also advancing. In fact, the Southern Barbarians faced even greater pressure; to guard against the formidable Great Zhou, they painstakingly developed various secret arts.

Insect Shamans also unleashed astonishing power in this war against the barbarians, inflicting heavy losses on the pacification army.

Long Xiao would certainly have the chance to delve deep into the Southern Wilderness, as would Old Chen. Zhao Xing didn't want anything to happen to either of them, so he took this opportunity to give Long Xiao a warning.

In reality, this book still needed Old Chen to read it. As a martial artist, Long Xiao could think of few solutions; Old Chen was the true master of spells.

As all five departments of Cloud City had unified their efforts, and their respective officials strongly supported the Department of Agriculture's actions, Zhao Xing's work progressed remarkably quickly.

Even though he used obscure formations and ordered mechanists to deploy them with luxurious materials, no one dared to object.

He didn't need his subordinates to understand, only for the heads of each department to support him.

To what extent did the various departments support Zhao Xing?

"Souls, return!"

At dawn, Zhang Yi stood on a bridge, holding a soul-guiding lamp and shaking a bell.

Before him stood an altar, and numerous ritual officiants sat performing repetitive motions, mimicking him.

Yellow paper burned fiercely in the copper censer.

Shen Mingyu, the chief official of the Divine Temple, willingly stood beside Zhang Yi, assisting him in casting spells.

The firelight illuminated the night, and soon its glow turned green.

Zhao Xing and Xia Jing stood behind Zhang Yi.

Both possessed high-level 'Bright Eyes' spells, allowing them to see that the surroundings were already teeming with ghosts. Although it appeared to be an empty space, it was in fact an army of spirits.

If an ordinary person were to remain in this empty space, they would likely soon be corroded by the overwhelming Yin energy, leading to the depletion of their vital energy and blood.

Soon after, the ritual concluded.

Zhang Yi descended from the altar. "Why are you here?"

"We saw you were finishing up and came to check," Xia Jing said with a smile. "Brother Zhang, your efficiency is remarkable. A hundred-meter-high mountain, and you had it dug through in just ten days, just as you said."

Zhang Yi replied helplessly, "Isn't it because Zhao Xing wanted it dug? I never imagined I'd use spirits to move bricks one day."

"If my fellow students from 'Primordial Yin Dao Academy' knew I was doing this after graduation, they'd laugh me to death."

Zhao Xing patted Zhang Yi's shoulder. He knew Zhang Yi had joined the army after graduating from the academy and had been sent to Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven for training, so he was still somewhat unaccustomed to such tasks.

"Being an official is nothing to be ashamed of. Someday, Brother Zhang, when you return to your hometown wealthy and respected, and revisit the academy, who would dare say anything about you? The beauties of yesteryear will surely look at you differently. Those who mocked you will eventually kneel before your Cloud-Ascending Boots, respectfully addressing you as 'Lord Zhang'!" Zhao Xing habitually described a bright future to Zhang Yi.

Shen Mingyu, standing nearby, saw Zhang Yi's stirred expression and inwardly praised Zhao Xing's skill. Even he, the nominal chief official, wanted to work under Zhao Xing.

"By the way, how long can these ghostly laborers last?" Zhao Xing asked. "Can they finish by tomorrow?"

"They can," Zhang Yi replied. "However, the temple's incense medium is running low. It can only sustain these ghostly laborers for half a month at most."

"Half a month, huh?" Zhao Xing stroked his chin. "Can these ghostly laborers do anything else? Like fighting in battles, for instance?"

"No," Zhang Yi shook his head. "These ghostly laborers only work for pay; they don't risk their lives."

"If you don't pay them, it's not 'selling' their lives, is it?"

Xia Jing: "..."

Zhang Yi: "???"

Zhao Xing looked at Shen Mingyu and said, "You can ask Lord Shen to see if it's feasible."

Shen Mingyu nodded helplessly. "Theoretically, it's possible. If these ghostly laborers dissipate due to an accident, we wouldn't need to use incense medium to send them back..."

Shen Mingyu's words stunned Zhang Yi. Could it really be done this way? He felt that his path of ritual had opened a door to a new world.

Xia Jing also looked at Zhao Xing in astonishment. Even though he was accustomed to Zhao Xing's wild ideas, he was still often surprised by them. "Brother Zhao, how are you so proficient at this?"

Zhao Xing casually brushed him off. "I read it in a book. There are many in the library at Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven; you'll know if you look them up."

What kind of miscellaneous book would teach that? Although Xia Jing was suspicious, he didn't ask further, as he had slowly gotten used to it.

"Ahem," Shen Mingyu cleared his throat. "Lord Zhao, this method, after all, goes against heavenly harmony."

Zhao Xing clasped his hands and said, "I didn't say we wouldn't pay them. Don't we have to be a bit frugal? If we reduce the incense, can't half a month be extended a bit longer?"

Xia Jing was also led astray. "True. If it really doesn't work, we can just pay them next time, when the incense supplies arrive."

Shen Mingyu was speechless. He always felt his way of thinking was out of sync with these young people, especially Zhao Xing, whose pace he simply couldn't keep up with.

Good heavens, they were even trying to save money on ghosts!

What was happening to this world? Was the era changing so rapidly?

Was he too pedantic, or was Zhao Xing simply too outlandish?

Zhao Xing didn't say more. People change gradually. Zhang Yi couldn't quite accept it now, but he would slowly get used to it later.

"Brother Zhang, Lord Shen, I thank you all for your contributions to Cloud City. After this mountain is dug through, I will host a banquet to reward the lords of the Divine Temple. Please do grace us with your presence."

"Lord Zhao, you speak too highly. This is merely our duty," Shen Mingyu replied politely. He had been somewhat implicated in the Shao Wanjie case, and negligence and dereliction of duty were unavoidable charges, but he was decisive and chose to stay and work with these young people.

He had no objection to relinquishing his position as chief official; Zhang Yi was now effectively in charge of the Divine Temple, so he dared not put on any airs.

A whoosh.

Zhao Xing and Xia Jing boarded a flying boat to inspect the next location.

Once the functions of the government agencies were restored, the power they unleashed was terrifying.

Now, when manpower was needed, there was manpower, and it was elite!

When resources were needed, there were resources, instantly replenishing the amount that had been lacking for ten years.

Moreover, with all departments in Cloud City working together, Cloud City's defenses, which had previously been riddled with holes like a sieve, quickly recovered.

Amidst Cloud City's fervent prevention, control, and recovery efforts, time quickly progressed to April of the seventeenth year of the Jingxin calendar.

On the first day of April, Zhaoke was leading ten Human Shamans from the Hana tribe on a river patrol.

He had been in the upper reaches of the Canglan River for ten days.

"Young tribal chief, this place is only a hundred li from Cloud City. We cannot proceed further. If we do, we might be discovered or even encounter Great Zhou's soldiers."

"Understood." Zhaoke nodded. "Although it's not the optimal spellcasting route, let's choose this spot."

"Young tribal chief, Cloud City is nothing but a mess; it would collapse with a touch. Why do we need to cast the Ten Locust Plagues?" an elder shaman asked.

"As long as the mother insects don't die, they can lie dormant in Cloud City. If we can reach Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture in the future, we can activate the spell at any time," Zhaoke replied.

"Reach Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture?" The elder shaman dismissed the idea inwardly, believing it to be a pipe dream. He wondered if having a young chief with such grand ambitions was a good or bad thing for their Hana tribe, but having questioned him twice already, he refrained from saying more, merely patting his chest in assent.

"Place the mother insects into the spell boats," Zhaoke ordered. "Cast the spell according to the pre-planned route, allowing them to enter Cloud City's territory."

"Yes."

The ten Human Shamans immediately dug out boxes from the ground. Inside each box, mother insects were being nurtured.

"Go!"

Fifty mother insects were then placed into the spell boats and drifted downstream along the river.

The placement of the mother insects was also meticulous. Zhaoke and his team used spells to disguise their appearance; the mother insects were carried inside things like a section of withered wood, a piece of broken plank, or even a fish...

After deployment, Zhaoke and his group remained still, their minds linked to the spell boats, guiding the fifty mother insects along the planned route towards Cloud City's territory.