Chapter 23: Standing Autumn Assessment

Giving extra lessons and practice could still be justified as valuing talent. However, using a fourth-tier ‘Evangelical Painting’ to help Zhao Xing pass the exam was purely for personal gain.

It was Old Sinong’s first time abusing his public position for personal gain, and he was still a bit reserved. He remained silent throughout the meal, and as soon as they finished, he told Zhao Xing to leave. Zhao Xing tacitly understood and didn't bring it up. He bowed and took his leave for home.

With Old Sinong’s help this time, the beginner-level spell ‘Thriving Growth’ had reached its maximum level. While observing the rubbing of the ‘Myriad Things Growth Diagram,’ Zhao Xing coincidentally grasped a mid-level spell called ‘Savage Growth.’

Agricultural spells are categorized simply as ‘practical’ or ‘super practical.’ This mid-level spell falls into the ‘super practical’ category.

Savage Growth: Mid-level spellProgress: 0/9999Effect: After casting, it causes destructive growth that exceeds the environment’s capacity and impacts the survival of other species.

The proficiency for mid-level spells still progresses by one ‘turn’ for every 1000 points, and the cap remains the same, but the difficulty of improvement increases proportionally.

Why is Savage Growth considered ‘super practical’? Because it’s a powerful confrontational spell! During the process of shortening a plant’s maturation period, it aggressively draws nutrients from its surroundings, growing with destructive force that overwhelms the environment’s inherent capacity.

Most importantly, it suffocates the living space of other plant life, even draining their vitality as nutrients. The subsequent advancement path for this spell, after its evolution in the ‘Rejuvenation’ version, has an incredibly powerful name: “Only My Law Prevails!”

It is also hailed by Sinong players as the ‘Civil War Divine Skill’ – if my plants live, yours cannot; it is utterly overbearing! As for the other beginner-level spell obtained from the ‘Myriad Things Growth Diagram’ rubbing, it is equally practical.

Geomantic Core Synthesis: Beginner-level spellProgress: 0/9999Effect: Draws upon geomantic power to synthesize geomantic energy.

Geomantic veins are the foundation of the world; every location is connected to spiritual veins deep underground, though their strength varies. Geomantic Core Synthesis is a supportive spell that can extract geomantic energy to make a certain area’s land fertile. Based on Geomantic Core Synthesis, the ultimate goal is to advance it into a ‘Five Elements Blessed Land.’

This is a spell of the ‘Geomantic Advantage’ school, and this series of spells has the nickname ‘Energy Theft Art.’ Unlike Savage Growth, it is difficult to detect, possessing high concealment.

Many schemers enjoy raising this spell to a very high level, secretly casting it next to others’ blessed lands to enrich themselves. What’s stealing vegetables? I’ll just directly steal the geomantic energy!

“It’s hard to change one’s nature… Why do I only grasp these ‘schemer’ spells?” Everyone comprehends something different from observing the ‘Myriad Things Growth Diagram,’ just as divine temple teachings have randomness. Zhao Xing figured he must have been a schemer too often in his previous life.

***

It was already dark when he got home, but it wasn’t too late. Zhao Xing planned to go to his family’s vegetable garden to practice the two new spells he had acquired. Not long after he entered the garden, his younger brother excitedly ran over with a lantern.

“Brother, what are you doing? Are you making a late-night snack?”

Zhao Xing was somewhat speechless: “Didn't your mother feed you dinner? It’s just getting dark, and you're already thinking about supper.”

“I did, hehe, but it’s not as tasty as what you make.” Zhao Zheng seemed to recall something and slurped. Although his elder brother liked to beat him, he also had good qualities: he cooked delicious meals and always managed to concoct tasty dried fruits and candied treats.

“Brother, I'll hold the lantern for you! And I’ll tend the fire when you cook.”

“Go on, get lost.” Zhao Xing was a bit annoyed. “There’s a box of snacks under my nightstand; go find them and eat, don’t bother me here.”

“Thank you, Brother!!!” The younger brother hung the lantern on the nearby fence and bolted.

***

After tinkering for about two hours, Zhao Xing saw that both spells had reached the first ‘turn’ level, so he didn’t continue to grind. The Autumn Equinox Exam was starting tomorrow, so he needed to preserve his energy.

The next morning, Zhao Xing woke up, washed, and prepared to leave. His adoptive father, Zhao Ruide, was already practicing slow, health-preserving martial arts in the courtyard.

“Adoptive Father, I’m off to work.” Zhao Xing greeted him.

Seeing Zhao Xing empty-handed, Zhao Ruide asked, “Why aren’t you carrying a lantern? We’re not short on funds for your expenses.”

“I can already see in the dark.” With a thought, Zhao Xing’s pupils instantly turned yellowish-green in the dim light.

“Oh?” Zhao Ruide glanced at him and nodded slightly: “Then before you leave, go wake up Zheng’er for me.”

“Alright.” Zhao Xing went to the other room, not bothering with politeness, and directly kicked the door open. Since last year, Zhao Zheng had been sleeping separately from Madam Cai. This was something Zhao Xing had insisted upon; otherwise, the doting Madam Cai would probably have continued to let her "baby" sleep with her for a few more years.

“Who the hell dares to disturb young master…” He was already cursing before his eyelids even opened, but once they did, he immediately swallowed his words.

“Get up! Get dressed.” Zhao Xing pulled back the light blanket and lifted Zhao Zheng, who was surprisingly sleeping while clutching a jar of candied fruit.

“Brother, what’s wrong?” Zhao Zheng looked bewildered but still obediently got dressed.

“Go outside and practice martial arts.”

“Huh?” Zhao Zheng frowned, “The chickens haven’t even crowed yet…”

“Hm?”

“Yes, Brother! I’m dressed!” Zhao Zheng quickly caved. Anyway, his brother would leave soon, and resisting would only lead to a beating. Besides, if he went out to practice martial arts, he could always act spoiled with his father and mother later and go back to sleep.

After waking Zhao Zheng, Zhao Xing left for the Bureau of Agriculture. Madam Cai woke up shortly after, having heard her child crying from hunger. She quickly got up and rushed to the vegetable garden, only to find it incredibly lush, and couldn't help but exclaim: “Ah! How are the seedlings I planted just a few days ago already like this today… ”

***

“...The Autumn Equinox Exam will be held in the Hundred Herbs Garden.”

“It begins on the sixth day of the eighth month at 9 AM and concludes on the ninth day of the eighth month at 7 PM.”

As soon as he approached within a thousand meters of the Bureau of Agriculture, he heard a voice circling in his ears. It was Chen Shijie's voice. “To transmit sound on the wind for several li, with such clarity… A Rank Nine Sinong indeed possesses extraordinary power,” Zhao Xing mused.

This was an advanced application of wind-raising spells, and the control over vital energy was far beyond what a petty official could achieve. However, there were even more exaggerated feats. For instance, Li Wenzheng, the Magistrate of Gucheng County, once demonstrated the ability of ‘Golden Voice and Jade Resonance,’ transmitting his voice for hundreds of li during a ‘Recruitment Edict’ announcement. But that too was achieved with the aid of external forces.

Zhao Xing listened carefully for a while, and by the time he arrived at the Bureau of Agriculture, he had more or less understood the rules. Starting from 9 AM on the sixth day of the eighth month and ending at 7 PM on the ninth day of the eighth month, it would be approximately four days and three nights.

Each official could freely select an unlimited number of seeds or seedlings from the ‘Nursery Zone’ within the Hundred Herbs Garden. They would then proceed to the ‘Cultivation Zone’ for nurturing. Officials could enter the arena at any time during these three days, but once inside, they were not permitted to leave.

The exam would officially end at 7 PM sharp on the ninth day of the eighth month, with representatives from the county yamen witnessing, tallying results, and recording them for archiving. There were three criteria for judgment: as of 7 PM on the ninth day, first, the quality of the seeds or seedlings selected by the official; second, the number of plants that survived; and third, the condition of the surviving plants.