Chapter 216: Huge Battle Merit Task, Liu Tianning's Pressured Training (6K)

Liu Tianning could not personally intervene in the war zone, but teaching Zhao Xing spells did not violate regulations.

“Go find some Dark Soulwood, Shadow-Hidden Sand, Dark Spirit Obsidian, Fiery Flame Pearls, Adamantine, Earth Spirit Sand…” Liu Tianning listed a series of materials. “Following my instructions, give these materials to the formation masters and have them construct the array foundations.”

“Once the array foundation materials are ready,” he paused, then continued, “go summon thirty-two eighth-rank priests to the training ground to await orders.”

Zhao Xing was taken aback, vaguely guessing Liu Tianning’s intention. Was Old Liu going to set up a Confusion Array right here for him?

“Yes,” Zhao Xing replied, then immediately withdrew.

He found Wang Ji, who was currently chatting with Han Bing and Che Shihai.

“Back when I was studying at the Myriad Laws Palace, I also cleared the final stage and earned eight thousand points!”

“But compared to the boss, the treatment is just miles apart,” Che Shihai sighed.

“The legacy of the Effigy Spell isn't about quantity,” Han Bing also shook his head. “In Liu Tianning’s eyes, apart from Zhao Xing, none of us are worthy of his attention.”

It was incredibly disheartening!

At the Ten Suns Grotto-Heaven, other teachers were generally cordial; even Cheng the Blind and Ge Wuzhu wouldn't speak to them like that. But Liu Tianning showed no courtesy at all; outside the Ten Suns Grotto-Heaven, he treated them like strangers.

As they were chatting, the main subject arrived.

“Wang Ji, there’s work to be done,” Zhao Xing said, rushing in with a list. “Quick, find people to prepare a set of materials for me according to these requirements.”

“Alright, I’ll get right on it,” Wang Ji replied, taking the list and immediately getting up to leave.

“Boss, what is Lord Liu doing here?” Che Shihai asked before Zhao Xing left.

“He’s here to teach me,” Zhao Xing sighed.

“You’re still sighing?!” Han Bing almost crushed his cup. That was Liu Tianning! The Effigy Spell was renowned as the best in the world, what was there to sigh about?

“You don’t understand,” Zhao Xing didn’t explain much.

“In these days, have the Quartermasters be careful when transporting supplies. Anping Road and Nanxiang Road are no longer viable; use alternative routes.”

Shifting to serious matters, Han Bing and Che Shihai dropped their jovial expressions.

“If we don’t use Anping Road and Nanxiang Road, we’ll have to go through enemy-occupied territory,” Han Bing said. “It’s highly susceptible to enemy ambushes. Should we have the army withdraw to Tonghuo City first?”

“My Lord, I also think the army should return for rest and recuperation first,” Che Shihai added. “The cautionary tale of Min Zhiheng from the Blazing Sun Army just happened yesterday.”

At the mention of Min Zhiheng, Zhao Xing’s expression also grew heavy.

Min Zhiheng commanded a unit of the Blazing Sun Army on the northern front. He was a Captain-Commander of the true sixth rank, and was ranked 136th on the sixth-rank military merit leaderboard.

Yesterday, a message appeared in the Earth Mirror: Min Zhiheng, leading eighty-seven thousand troops, aggressively attacked the ‘Sixteen Cities of Xijiang Territory,’ but was defeated by Prince Jinyan of the Golden Feather Royal Court. It was a crushing defeat with over thirty thousand casualties.

This detached unit of the Blazing Sun Army was routed.

Min Zhiheng, the Captain-Commander of the true sixth rank, originally had over three million military merits, but this battle directly wiped them all out. His official rank was also demoted five levels, becoming a true seventh-rank junior officer.

As Min Zhiheng was quite famous in the Ten Suns Grotto-Heaven, this disastrous defeat sounded an alarm for all armies in the Fire Demon Race war zone. Everyone realized that easy victories were no longer plentiful. The Golden Feather Royal Court's determination to protect the Fire Demon Race territory meant that attacking this tribe might render decades of previous efforts futile.

Military merits and official ranks were hard-won, requiring multiple victories to accumulate. But they could be lost in a single major defeat.

“I know,” Zhao Xing nodded. “I’ve already informed the front line to dispatch a ten-thousand-man detachment back to protect the transport routes.”

“This will reduce efficiency,” Che Shihai said. “And ordinary combat units are useless when reassigned here.”

“Let’s do it this way for now,” Zhao Xing said.

Confusion Arrays had appeared along the supply lines, and their scope was considerable. This rendered the originally safe transport routes unusable, forcing supplies to be delivered via detours through enemy-occupied territory. The scale of these operations couldn't be too large, or they would be easily discovered and ambushed. Changing routes was merely a temporary measure; ultimately, this problem had to be resolved.

However, whether to withdraw or not depended on the decision of the commanding generals at the front; as the logistics chief, Zhao Xing could only manage his own responsibilities.

After giving instructions to Wang Ji and Han Bing, Zhao Xing was about to go back and find Liu Tianning when the Earth Mirror vibrated. He pulled it out to see that the Military Realm had issued a task to him.

Military Realm Mission: 'Stabilize the Supply Line to Sacrificial Soul Pass'

Military Realm Intel: Large-scale high-level Confusion Arrays have appeared along Anping Road and Nanxiang Road, from Tonghuo City to Sacrificial Soul Pass. According to the deductions of the Creation Compass, this deployment will severely impact the army's supply needs and could even lead to defeat.

Mission Objective: Ensure the supplies for the Six Armies — the Divine Might Army, the Sea Guard Army, the Black Armor Army, the Illusionary Ghost Army, the Primordial Splendor Army, and the Origin Initiating Army — until the end of the war.

Mission Reward: Military merits awarded based on mission completion evaluation, up to 400,000!

Note 1: Information regarding this array can be viewed in the Earth Mirror. If the supply line cannot be maintained, leading to front-line operational failure, a large amount of military merits will be deducted from you. Please take prompt countermeasures!

Note 2: If the army withdraws to Tonghuo City, this mission will disappear.

“The Military Realm’s mission has also arrived,” Zhao Xing said, putting away his Earth Mirror.

The high-level Confusion Array had appeared the day before yesterday. After two days, the Military Realm had gathered sufficient intelligence and had performed deductions on the war's trajectory. Now, Zhao Xing estimated that not only he but also the commanding generals at the front had received the mission.

He could also guess the content: that logistical supplies would become problematic, increasing the difficulty of warfare. Under these circumstances, one head would count as two merits. However, the corresponding casualty rate would also increase. Continuing to fight would increase military merit rewards because the enemy’s strength had also been upgraded. Of course, if they lost, the deducted military merits would be substantial, potentially nullifying all previous efforts and bringing merits directly to zero, just like Min Zhiheng.

“This is the last major military merit mission of this stage, I cannot easily give it up,” Zhao Xing thought to himself. “The further we go, the harder it is to acquire military merits, especially after next year, as Emperor Jing grows increasingly impatient, and the Southern Barbarians, having stabilized their decline, become more and more tenacious.”

“With my current military merits, I can probably only achieve an unofficial sixth-rank position. Since my previous million merits were exchanged for an Yin God quota, I have no honorary ranks or titles.”

Zhao Xing didn’t much care for honorary official titles, but later, when transitioning to the Civil Service as an Agricultural Officer, having titles would be best, as the civil official system valued them highly. Honorary ranks were linked to annual bonuses, and wartime commendations were particularly generous for them, especially for the merit of capturing a city, which significantly increased honorary ranks.

Currently, Zhao Xing wasn’t short on money, but after reaching the sixth rank, he would certainly find himself in need, as mid-to-high-level seeds and treasures were gradually becoming scarce. To reach the fifth rank during Emperor Jing’s reign, cultivating the Five Element Inner World, and expanding his ‘Houtu Gravel’ would all require vast resources. If he didn’t intend to commit corruption, relying solely on his basic official salary, he couldn't hope to cultivate himself to a higher level. If he didn't cultivate himself, he'd have to rely on the imperial court. But in that case, if he were to be demoted, his cultivation would drastically decline, he would become constrained by the Great Zhou's system of destiny, and it would impact Zhao Xing's long-term plan for immortality. He had no intention of relying on the imperial court to advance his cultivation or spell mastery; he only sought destiny and longevity!

“It’s now the seventh day of the eleventh month of the seventeenth year of Jingxin,” Zhao Xing mused. “Military merits! I must acquire more military merits!”

Liu Tianning arrived during the Chen hour (7-9 AM) and instructed Zhao Xing to prepare the materials. By the Wu hour (11 AM - 1 PM), the materials were ready.

However, in the interim, Zhao Xing also received news from the front line. First, Liao Rulong contacted Zhao Xing via the Earth Mirror, inquiring about the supply line. Zhao Xing had received the mission, and naturally, so had they.

“Can you guarantee the army’s supplies?” Liao Rulong asked. “If not, we can retreat to the vicinity of Tonghuo City first and then make further plans.”

“Yes,” Zhao Xing replied.

Liao Rulong was with Xia Jing, but Xia Jing didn't ask, trusting that Zhao Xing could handle it. Jiang Ming and Li Que of the Sea Guard Army also didn’t inquire, as neither of them had received this mission. At the front, they were both deputy generals of the allied forces and had no decision-making authority. If the main army ahead retreated, they would follow. A portion of the Sea Guard Army’s warships also bore the responsibility of logistical supply transport, and in terms of logistics, they had to defer to Zhao Xing. Thus, there was no need for them to worry.

However, on the other two fronts, Qi Yuanjun, Wen Shaoyang, Yi Yue, and Nangong Ye all sent messages inquiring about the situation. Among them, Nangong Ye and Qi Yuanjun's wording was relatively gentle. This was because over the past half-month, Zhao Xing had not made any mistakes, always delivering supplies on time and in full.

Yi Yue, however, was quite agitated.

“Zhao Xing, can you stabilize this supply line? If you cannot, I will dispatch additional personnel from the Primordial Splendor Army!”

There was a reason for Yi Yue's agitation. A few days prior, the personnel Zhao Xing had dispatched to transport supplies were trapped and obstructed by the Confusion Array on Anping Road. The supplies for Yi Yue’s Primordial Splendor Army were delayed by nearly two days.

Yi Yue ranked third on the seventh-rank military merit leaderboard. He had a quick temper and would often bang on tables when speaking to people like Qi Yuanjun and Nangong Ye. His words implied that if Zhao Xing couldn't handle the task, someone else should take over, and his Primordial Splendor Army had plenty of logistical personnel who could be transferred.

“General Yi, please calm your anger. There will absolutely be no further delays of this kind,” Zhao Xing said.

“And what if it happens again?” Yi Yue pressed, aggressively.

“Then let General Yi's people take my position!”

“Good, it's a deal!” With that, Yi Yue hung up the communication.

“Yi Yue is quite capable, but he also has a huge temper,” Che Shihai, who was nearby, remarked. “To dare speak to the boss like that.”

“You can’t blame him for speaking loudly. This matter concerns the lives of tens of thousands of his troops,” Zhao Xing said. “If it were me, I’d also get angry.”

In matters like this, there’s no concept of saving face; it’s about the issue, not the person. Zhao Xing didn't feel that Yi Yue was targeting him; after all, there had indeed been a two-day delay previously.

“This problem must be resolved quickly… Wang Ji, are your things ready?” Zhao Xing asked.

“They are ready and have been moved to the large training ground south of the city,” Wang Ji replied.

“Han Bing, go notify Priest Zhang Yi and have him bring his people here,” Zhao Xing instructed.

“Yes.”

With all preparations complete, Liu Tianning set up a small-scale Confusion Array at the training ground south of the city. Though called small-scale, the array covered nearly ten thousand *mu* of farmland. Furthermore, it had reached the level of a high-tier array.

“High-tier Confusion Arrays involve the Way of Yin and Yang,” Liu Tianning said, standing with Zhao Xing before the array. “The one I set up is just a rudimentary version, using a lot of materials and requiring someone to guard it. It barely qualifies as high-tier. However, the one you encountered should be unguarded, formed using the Five Elements of Heaven and Earth as its foundation, and Yin souls as materials. But the principle is the same,” Liu Tianning continued. “If you can navigate this array, you will also be able to pass through the arrays on Anping Road and Nanxiang Road.”

“Can it only be navigated, not broken?” Zhao Xing asked.

“It cannot be destroyed,” Liu Tianning replied. “Such large-scale arrays are extremely difficult to dismantle.”

Zhao Xing considered this and agreed. The great defensive array at Fire Dragon Pass also stretched for hundreds of *li*. To dismantle such a large-scale array, the Divine Might Army and Black Armor Army had dispatched a total of eighteen thousand troops at the time, who crossed the Flaming Mountains to destroy it from within. They blew up dozens of cities, yet it only temporarily disabled the great defensive array. Only then, with the cooperation of a large number of Sea Guard Army battleships outside the pass, did heavy bombardment finally break it.

The current Confusion Array, though not as formidable as Fire Dragon Pass’s great defensive array, was still a high-tier array covering a vast area. Furthermore, it was incredibly difficult to dismantle from within, because once inside, it would create a disorienting labyrinth, making it impossible to find one's bearings.

“You just need to be able to pass through it,” Liu Tianning said. “The Confusion Array isn’t offensive; it’s primarily used to obstruct and trap enemies. If you understand how to navigate this array and then learn the True Self Effigy Spell, from now on, each time you transport supplies, you can personally lead the team and resolve this problem.”

“Understood,” Zhao Xing nodded.

Starting November 7th, Zhao Xing handed over all military affairs to Han Bing and Wang Ji. At this time, he could only trust them to complete the task of ‘detouring and transporting supplies.’ He, meanwhile, focused on learning from Liu Tianning.

What was he learning?

First, how to pass through high-tier Confusion Arrays. Zhao Xing quickly mastered navigating the high-tier Confusion Array. Due to a combination of factors – Liu Tianning’s guidance, his foundational understanding of arrays, and his sixth-rank Fate Soul augmented by the Sky Eye spell – Zhao Xing quickly mastered the techniques for navigating the array.

Second, practicing the True Self Effigy Spell. The minimum requirement for the True Self Effigy Spell was the perfect integration of five spells. Even the lowest-level True Self Effigy was a high-tier spell, while the highest level had no upper limit; it could be called the 'ultimate spell' of the Effigy Spell.

Zhao Xing’s previous Effigy Spell allowed for the perfect integration of three spells: Flying, Divine Bravery, and Self-Destruction. However, combining four spells only reached the mid-tier seventh-revolution level. Achieving the perfect integration of five spells in a short period was actually quite difficult. Before he had taken the Life Soul Pill, even with Liu Tianning’s personal guidance, Zhao Xing wouldn't have expected to achieve it in a short time. But now, having taken the Life Soul Pill and with Liu Tianning personally demonstrating the True Self Effigy Spell, there was a glimmer of hope.

Military Realm, Hundred Weapons Tower.

King Rahu, King Lingde, and King Tianyan were gathered together.

“King Tianyan, King Rahu, a turning point has come for your wager,” King Lingde said. “Zhao Xing has not abandoned the mission assigned by the Military Realm, and the commanding generals at Sacrificial Soul Pass have not retreated.”

“This kid is taking risks again,” King Tianyan couldn’t smile at this point. “He was also taking risks at Fire Dragon Pass before. This time, he knows the mission is difficult, yet he refuses to give up.”

“Qi Yuanjun, Nangong Ye, Yi Yue, Xia Jing, Liao Rulong... they are all audacious geniuses. Only Wen Shaoyang is a bit more prudent. These few gathered together truly are birds of a feather,” King Tianyan shook his head.

If the commanding generals’ opinions weren’t unified, Zhao Xing wouldn't have been able to accept this mission, and it would have disappeared once the army retreated. If Zhao Xing had felt it was impossible, then without guaranteed logistical supplies, the armies on the three front lines would also have retreated to Tonghuo City.

Zhao Xing had previously used the Turtle Coin Divination method to foretell the future, and the advice he received was to stop while ahead and preserve existing victories. King Tianyan also thought Zhao Xing and the others should pause, but precisely these few individuals refused to stop.

“It’s not necessarily a gamble,” King Rahu said, looking at the intelligence reports. “The Sacrificial Soul Pass army is clearly afraid. Unable to win head-on, they resorted to severing their supply lines to make them retreat out of difficulty and gain some breathing room. If the supplies are not lost, Sacrificial Soul Pass will not be able to hold out for another two months.”

King Lingde said, “The Creation Compass’s deductions all indicate that the eastern front forces are relatively dangerous, King Rahu, provided they can hold out.”

“The Creation Compass isn’t necessarily 100% accurate; it merely provides possibilities,” King Rahu countered. “King Lingde, why don’t you also place a bet?”

King Lingde was startled, then chuckled, “Since you, Rahu, are inviting, I must give face. How shall we bet?”

“I bet Zhao Xing’s supply line will not be lost, and Sacrificial Soul Pass will fall within two months,” King Rahu stated. “We'll wager two seventh-tier divine weapons.”

“Hahahaha,” King Tianyan laughed. “Rahu, don’t dig yourself deeper. You bet one seventh-tier divine weapon with me, and now two with King Lingde.”

King Lingde smiled faintly, “Taking Sacrificial Soul Pass within two months would require Zhao Xing to immediately solve the Confusion Array problem. But I still won’t bet.”

“Forty days! I bet Sacrificial Soul Pass will fall within forty days!”

King Lingde was surprised. He pondered for a moment, but ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation. “Alright, I’ll take that bet! Let’s see whether the Creation Compass is more accurate, or your judgment, Rahu.”

“Perhaps Rahu can recoup some losses from you,” King Tianyan chuckled.

“King Lingde, you’re destined to lose,” Rahu said calmly. “Haven’t I told you? Those who can create opportunities where none exist are unparalleled geniuses; they often work miracles. And now, there’s more than one such person on the eastern front.”

King Lingde was somewhat stunned. He immediately pulled out his Earth Mirror to search: “Damn it! Rahu, you tricked me! Can Liu Tianning going to the war zone count? This doesn't follow the rules!” King Lingde protested.

“Why can’t it count?” King Rahu revealed a slight smile. “He’s merely a clone with sixth-rank combat power, there to teach disciples, not to directly intervene. The strict conditions for navigating a high-tier Confusion Array are still in place.”

“You…” King Lingde was speechless. If it were only Zhao Xing, he would indeed dare to bet. But now that Liu Tianning had also gone there, he felt genuinely apprehensive. In the Military Realm’s Supervisory Department, Liu Tianning’s evaluation was extremely high! His going to teach Zhao Xing might truly lead to a miracle.

By November 9th, Zhao Xing was already able to freely traverse the Confusion Array at the large training ground south of the city. On November 10th, Zhao Xing began cultivating the Four-Spell Integration, combining the Flying, Divine Bravery, Self-Destruction, and Invisibility Effigies. By November 13th, the Effigy Spell had achieved perfect Four-Spell Integration!

However, at this time, supply transports from Tonghuo City to the front line were also frequently attacked, suffering damage in multiple places. Nevertheless, Tonghuo City’s supply production was sufficient. Zhao Xing, enduring the pressure, implemented a saturation transport method. This meant that each time he sent supplies, he would send three to five times the required amount. Since they were detouring, he also established multiple routes, divided supplies into several batches, breaking down large quantities into smaller ones, playing hide-and-seek with the enemy forces intercepting the routes. Even with losses, they were distributed among multiple teams, and under these circumstances, supplies to the front line were barely maintained.

Under such pressure, time advanced to December 3rd. At this point, the Divine Might Army, Sea Guard Army, Black Armor Army, Origin Initiating Army, Illusionary Ghost Army, and Primordial Splendor Army all intensified their offensives, while Sacrificial Soul Pass’s resistance grew even more stubborn.

The Great Zhou side wanted to quickly capture Sacrificial Soul Pass because they knew the supply line remained a hidden danger. Although the supply line controlled by Zhao Xing had not yet experienced major issues, there was no guarantee it wouldn't if prolonged. The six commanding generals were also under immense pressure.

The commanding generals of Sacrificial Soul Pass were likewise under enormous pressure. The Six-Army Alliance's composition was undeniably luxurious. Qi Yuanjun, Yi Yue, and Nangong Ye were all genius commanding generals ranked among the top five on the seventh-rank military merit leaderboard. The Origin Initiating Army, Primordial Splendor Army, and Illusionary Ghost Army were even first-rate powerful armies among the Five Great Grotto-Heavens. The Illusionary Ghost Army, in particular, often held an overwhelming advantage when facing soul-controlling sorcerers and ghost attacks.

Initially, Sacrificial Soul Pass dared to sortie and engage, but later, they resorted to passive defense, no longer daring to send out their ghostly armies. However, more and more teams were dispatched to harass the supply lines, striving to alleviate the pressure on the pass from this angle. As long as they could achieve a breakthrough in this area, repelling the Six-Army Alliance would be a certainty.

By December 5th, Zhao Xing had begun practicing the Five-Spell Integration. He used the Flying, Divine Bravery, Self-Destruction, Invisibility, and Soul-Capturing Effigy Spells as his foundation, attempting to perfectly integrate all five.

“Boom!” An effigy exploded before his eyes.

“This is already the nineteenth thousand eight hundred seventy-third failure,” Zhao Xing said, his face somewhat pale.

He was under immense pressure now, as bad news slowly accumulated. The saturation transport method could not last indefinitely, and enemy forces had even begun to frequently attack Tonghuo City and the supply cities along the routes.

“Not only did I not gain any military merits this month, but I was also deducted over fifty thousand,” Zhao Xing thought to himself. Originally, providing and transporting supplies earned monthly merits, but this month, due to heavy losses, the monthly merit rewards were all deducted, and he was fined over fifty thousand. With him in such a state, his subordinates also began to accumulate 'debts'. The decisions of superiors affected those below them. By choosing to stick with this mission and not allow the army to withdraw, Zhao Xing had to bear this risk.

“The true path is revealed in adversity,” Liu Tianning said, walking up to Zhao Xing. “Your current pressure isn’t great enough. I’ll give you a hand.”

“What?” Zhao Xing was startled.

“I will demonstrate for you one last time,” Liu Tianning said calmly. “After this, my effigy will completely disintegrate, and no more effigies will be sent. You only have this final chance. If you don't learn it, this mission of yours will surely end in failure.”

(End of Chapter) Please visit: m.minguoqiren.info