Chapter 300: Ancient Yin Warship, Holy Word Academy, Xi Yin Dragon Stone

Fengdu was known as the most virtuous place in the world, but in Zhao Xing's eyes, it was the most terrifying.

First, the people were terrifying. Emperor Jing resided there. The role of an emperor was highly unique. As the supreme ruler of a Qi-luck Dynasty, Emperor Jing typically possessed transcendent first-grade power, capable of manifesting it without any divine artifacts.

An emperor bore the Qi-luck of the nineteen provinces; their Qi-luck began at tier ten, with Emperor Wu holding the highest record of a terrifying tier twelve! An emperor also carried the karmic burden of the countless common people across the nineteen provinces.

The higher Zhao Xing's official rank, the clearer his karmic ties with Emperor Jing would become, making it highly possible for Emperor Jing to foresee aspects of his future.

Of course, these were mere possibilities. As King Tianyan had said, future possibilities were not a basis for promotion. Even if Emperor Jing saw an unfavorable future, he would not use it as a reason to execute a minister.

Emperors of the Yuanqi Era were not entirely terrifying; their karmic souls, intertwined with others, indicated that despite their power, they also had weaknesses.

Due to bearing numerous karmic burdens, an emperor, upon death, would not even leave behind a Yin soul, becoming utterly nonexistent.

Furthermore, an emperor could not freely leave Fengdu. This was why Zhao Xing had never encountered the Yin God bodies of Emperor Taizu or Emperor Wen, neither in the Hall of Heavenly Heart nor in the provincial temples.

Better safe than sorry, Zhao Xing sealed his memory palace before entering Tianyong Province. He could only actively review it after leaving Tianyong Province.

The second terror stemmed from the location itself. Fengdu, a homophone for Shandu, was rumored to be the boundary between Yin and Yang in ancient times, possessing the largest Yin-Yang passage among the nineteen provinces.

The capital was established in Tianyong Province primarily to suppress and control the Yin Realm, which also formed the material basis of the Yin God system.

However, after Emperor Wu, the balance of Yin and Yang became chaotic, leading almost every subsequent emperor to die prematurely, often within a century of ascending the throne. This demonstrated that the imperial role, while powerful, also carried immense responsibilities.

The only way to resolve these drawbacks was through ascension. As long as the dynasty ascended, the emperor's vulnerabilities would be resolved.

Any emperor with ambition would strive to achieve the dynasty's ascension.

"Zhao Xing, stop resting and get to work," King Tianyan called from outside, knocking on the door. "Coming," Zhao Xing replied, standing up and walking out.

Their current lodging was a public residence in Fengjing. King Tianyan had not even allowed Zhao Xing two days of rest; he had eagerly sought him out after just one day.

"After the Heavenly God Temple, there are a few more places I need you to visit," King Tianyan said. "More places?" Zhao Xing was taken aback. "You are now a third-grade official, so the situation has changed." King Tianyan's plans for Zhao Xing needed to be adjusted accordingly.

The Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets had originally intended to assign tasks to Zhao Xing. King Tianyan was also aware of the shortcomings Zhao Xing had revealed during his trials in the Cave Heaven of Canghai.

The training received by a fourth-grade official was naturally different from that of a third-grade official.

"Yes, I'll follow your instructions, Your Highness." "Let's go."

The temple complex in Fengjing included the Imperial Ancestral Temple, the Temple of Heroic Spirits, the Martial Temple, and the Heavenly God Temple, among others. In Fengjing, every temple was accompanied by a mausoleum.

After the death of True Monarch Tianyang, he was buried beside Emperor Wen, adjacent to the Western Imperial Mausoleum. There were two places to worship True Monarch Tianyang: one was the Heavenly God Temple complex located in southern Fengjing, where his temple was largely similar to those in prefectural cities, just larger.

Official sacrificial ceremonies and public worship both took place in southern Fengjing. The other location was the mausoleum-temple complex to the west, which contained both True Monarch Tianyang's tomb and an ancestral temple for worship.

This was also where Fu Tianyang's descendants offered sacrifices. Zhao Xing was heading to the Western City Mausoleum in Fengjing because True Monarch Tianyang had specifically summoned him to Fengjing, which certainly wasn't to visit the Southern Temple. Otherwise, anything important would have been given to him in the prefectural city at the time.

However, this required a prior visit to the Fu family. "Fu Tianyang was originally from Siliufang in Fengcheng. In his second generation, he had only four sons and five daughters. But his grandchildren were numerous, exceeding a hundred."

"By the fourth generation of great-grandchildren, there were over three thousand. And now, for the faster breeding lines, there are already forty-one generations."

Zhao Xing nodded. True Monarch Tianyang was born during the middle of Emperor Wen's reign and died in the middle of Emperor Yong'an's, spanning two imperial eras. Fourteen hundred years had passed since his first son was born.

Not all descendants achieved prominence; some of his grandchildren faded into obscurity. Those who made no progress in cultivation and held no official positions typically had children earlier.

Emotionally speaking, family ties usually diminished after five generations. Ji Zixuan, for instance, was the granddaughter of King Chenglan, yet she had barely any impression of her grandfather before adulthood.

King Chenglan had only met her twice in total. It was only after Ji Zixuan distinguished herself by entering the Green Water Daoist Academy that he remembered her. He later secured a Princess title for Ji Zixuan, and over more than a decade, their relationship gradually grew, making her a true part of the Chenglan Royal Residence.

Legally, the mistakes of descendants beyond the fifth generation rarely implicated their ancestors. Even during confiscations of property, it was rare for the tracing to extend back five generations.

Of course, cases like King Liang were exceptions; his lineage was essentially wiped out.

"Currently, among the Fu family branch in Fengjing, two of True Monarch Tianyang's fourth-generation great-grandchildren are still alive: Fu Xingwen and Fu Xingwu."

"Fu Xingwu, in particular, achieved some success, earning military merits during the Dingxin era and successfully inheriting a noble title as Marquis Xingwu, reaching the rank of Senior Fourth Grade."

"Fu Xingwen was a civil official of the Senior Fourth Grade and also held a marquisate, though it was merely an unattached one."

"There were no notable talents among the fifth generation."

Logically, with an ancestor who served as Grand Minister of Agriculture, the family should have been prosperous. However, this also depended on the ancestor's character.

It was clear that Fu Tianyang was unwilling to seek advantages for his descendants. Of course, by the standards of the time, the Fu family could be considered a prominent clan, with both civil and military officials at the Senior Fourth Grade, and considerable family property and land. However, they were not considered an exceptionally powerful aristocratic family.

They did not achieve great prominence during Emperor Jing's reign either. The Fu family's residence during Emperor Wen's reign was a Ducal Mansion, located in the east of Fengjing, occupying a vast area where every inch of land was precious.

However, they later voluntarily moved to the south of the city, where their residence became merely a Marquis's Mansion.

Visiting without prior notice was considered an abrupt call. Zhao Xing's day of rest was precisely for the purpose of sending an advance visiting card.

Upon hearing the news, Fu Xingwen promptly cleaned his residence and refrained from receiving other visitors for the day.

When Zhao Xing and King Tianyan arrived at the Marquis's Mansion in the southern city, he was already standing at the entrance to greet them. "Greetings to King Tianyan, and to Marquis Shenwei." "Marquis Wenxing, my respects," Zhao Xing replied, cupping his hands in return.

Inside the Fu residence, they only exchanged a few pleasantries and did not sit for long. The purpose of their visit had already been explained in the visiting card.

The two were not well acquainted ordinarily, were far apart in age, and with King Tianyan's stern expression, Fu Xingwen dared not engage in much pleasantry.

Who would dare try to curry favor in front of a high-ranking official? The type of people they feared most were these very officials.

High-ranking officials typically did not visit; if they did, it usually meant a property confiscation or family annihilation.

"The sacrificial offerings are already prepared; I have sent people to wait at the mausoleum-temple," Fu Wenxing said. "A flying boat is also waiting within the residence, ready to depart at any time." "Thank you, Marquis Wenxing," Zhao Xing said, cupping his hands.

"It's merely a small effort, Marquis Shenwei, please proceed." "Please."

True Monarch Tianyang's ancestral temple was located on the south side of the Western City Mausoleum. According to custom, since Zhao Xing had already arrived at the Western City Mausoleum, he first had to pay respects at Emperor Wen's temple.

Originally, only members of the Ji royal family could visit the ancestral temple for worship, but outside it, there was a Literary Temple for external officials to offer sacrifices.

There were no elaborate rituals; simply offering a stick of incense was sufficient. However, King Tianyan was different. Since he was already there, it would be inappropriate not to enter and pay his respects.

So, King Tianyan went to the ancestral temple to worship his uncle, while Zhao Xing, guided by the mausoleum official, proceeded to True Monarch Tianyang's temple.

"Marquis Shenwei, we will await your return outside. Please call us if you need anything," a priest said. "Thank you," Zhao Xing replied, stepping into the temple.

Everything was already prepared. The three animal sacrifices included a pig's head, an ox's head, and a sheep's head. The six ceremonial jades were Bi, Cong, Gui, Zhang, Huang, and Hu.

The six types of jade artifacts were used for worship according to the regulations in "The Rites of Zhou: Spring Official: Grand Master of Ceremonies." Jade was crafted into six vessels to honor heaven, earth, and the four directions: the cyan Bi for heaven, the yellow Cong for earth, the green Gui for the east, the red Zhang for the south, the white Hu for the west, and the black Huang for the north.

Sacrifice coins, crafted from polished ox horns, deer antlers, ivory, or seashells, were placed inside the jade artifacts.

In reality, these coins were of little practical use, as people in the Yin Realm did not truly use currency; it was merely a formality. If common folk could not find sacrifice coins, they could simply use some fruit as offerings; some ceremonies even omitted the coins entirely.

Next came the Five Incense Offering: lighting agarwood, sandalwood, storax, musk, and ambergris. The origin and age of the incense materials were crucial,

Ranging from requiring a certain number of years of aging to being collected during a specific Yin month and Yin hour. And even this was merely the most simplified procedure.

Other requirements included abstaining from fire and meat before the ritual, bathing, changing clothes, burning incense, and praying. It was no wonder that later Prime Minister Wei Xuancheng proposed the policy of destroying ancestral temples and abandoning shrines.

The burdensome sacrificial rituals greatly impacted the common people's labor and wasted considerable wealth.

As Zhao Xing bent down to light the fire and incense, a sharp intake of breath sounded from above.

Looking up, he saw True Monarch Tianyang seated on the divine altar, holding a stick of incense in his mouth and puffing vigorously.

"Grandmaster." "Disciple-grandson, you've finally arrived," True Monarch Tianyang said, his face full of enjoyment. "It took you half a year to travel from Pinghai Province to Tianyong Province."

"This disciple-grandson was delayed for some time in Daoyuan Continent; I hope Grandmaster doesn't mind," Zhao Xing replied, bowing.

"No blame, no blame, how could I blame you?" True Monarch Tianyang flicked his ash into the jade artifact nearby.

What a sight! The exquisite six jade artifacts were being used as an ashtray. His comfortable demeanor made Zhao Xing want to join him with a stick of incense.

"You wrote 'Annotations on the Two Classics' and 'On Materia Medica' at Shangluo Academy; that's a tremendous achievement." "Heh heh, your reputation is quite widespread now. Even I, your Grandmaster, can hear Yin officials discussing you in the Yin Realm."

"They're eager for you to come down and discuss things with them." Zhao Xing's face turned green. Yin officials were essentially ghosts, after all. There was no need for such enthusiasm, especially not asking him to "come down."

"Grandmaster, you flatter me." "Your Grandmaster isn't joking," True Monarch Tianyang said. "You've already reached the Primordial Soul realm, haven't you?"

"The item I want to give you is in the Yin Realm. If you weren't third-grade, it would take a bit longer to grasp. Now is perfect; let your Primordial Soul leave your body and come with me." "Yes."

Zhao Xing sat cross-legged, and then the Primordial Soul in his Sea of Consciousness opened its eyes, lightly leaped, and emerged from his physical body.

This was Zhao Xing's first attempt at a Primordial Soul leaving the body. His initial sensation was a slight coldness, not as warm as being within his physical body.

But warmth quickly followed, as the surrounding incense was still burning.

"Come closer," True Monarch Tianyang beckoned. Zhao Xing obediently leaped onto the divine altar.

True Monarch Tianyang placed a hand on Zhao Xing's shoulder. Then, a beam of light emanated from his body.

Zhao Xing felt his vision blur, and a spacetime tunnel seemed to appear around him. Countless green and blue light points receded.

The speed seemed to increase, and the points quickly transformed into lines. "We are currently traversing the barrier between the Yin and Yang Realms; this spot is relatively weak."

"If you were to traverse it on your own, it would probably take three Yang-realm quarters and two Yin-realm quarters." Zhao Xing listened quietly.

Time in the Yang Realm and Yin Realm differed, so they were calculated independently. However, with True Monarch Tianyang guiding his soul, it only took about a minute.

"We're here." The tunnel anomaly around them vanished, and True Monarch Tianyang patted Zhao Xing's shoulder.

Here? Zhao Xing looked around and found himself inside a magnificent, opulent palace.

The light was bright, the palace grand and majestic, utterly devoid of the eerie atmosphere he had imagined.

"This is Tianyang Palace, my residence in the Yin Realm." "Don't let its similarity to the human world fool you; it's different outside."

True Monarch Tianyang led Zhao Xing outside. Beyond the palace gates, the situation was indeed different.

"Whoosh~" A wisp of Yin wind blew, and an immediate chill appeared. Zhao Xing looked up and out.

The sky was dim, and Yin winds howled and roared above. In the southern sky, a green light appeared, like an aurora. In the northern sky, a faint blue line drifted like a wisp of silk.

Amidst the howling Yin winds, Zhao Xing saw many shadowy figures. Unknown creatures swam in the sky, and he also caught glimpses of figures clad in official robes or armor.

Zhao Xing flew up with True Monarch Tianyang and discovered that this was indeed True Monarch Tianyang's private residence. The entire land was desolate, with only this solitary palace standing.

If it were an imperial institution, such as the Heavenly Officials' Bureau or the Earth Officials' Bureau, there would surely be clusters of buildings, not this desolation.

Zhao Xing carefully sensed that the earth's meridians were entirely of Yin Five Elements, flowing rapidly and without any discernible pattern.

If you were to plant a seedling here, it might be tens of thousands of miles away the very next second after being sown.

Heaven and Earth functioned similarly, following a transformation of spatiotemporal rules. It was truly difficult to establish a stable piece of land and build a palace in the Yin Realm.

Of course, not all places were like this. It was just more pronounced in Tianyong Province.

In other provinces, there were discernible patterns. Yin Gods utilized this special and rapid flow to traverse long distances.

Information transfer between capitals and prefectures was instantaneous. Therefore, using Yin Gods to deliver messages was the fastest method.

"Disciple-grandson, I originally cultivated some excellent items here to enhance life souls, which could have helped your life soul reach mid-third grade."

"Since you've already broken through to third-grade, these things are no longer needed." True Monarch Tianyang pointed to a vegetable patch behind the palace, which contained a pond and numerous strange flowers, plants, and trees.

"However, those were just appetizers. The real treasure is this," True Monarch Tianyang said, gesturing with his hand.

A blue light flashed within the palace, and a disc-shaped object appeared in his hand. "Grandmaster, what is this?" Zhao Xing looked at it, discerning nothing, as his memory palace was currently sealed.

"The Shang Tang Order." Zhao Xing remained puzzled.

True Monarch Tianyang smiled. "You'll understand once you see it."

The dim sky grew darker. Amidst the roaring Yin winds, a black shadow suddenly appeared.

At first, Zhao Xing thought it was a banner. But soon, a bird's head emerged from the Yin wind, followed by two more banners and flagpoles.

Then came the dark hull. When it fully appeared, Zhao Xing realized it was a ship. "Ancient 'Yin' warship?"

Zhao Xing quickly identified it. Ancient characters were inscribed on all three banners, one of which was 'Yin'. Furthermore, the hull and banners were embroidered with the motif of the Destiny Dark Bird.

"Correct. This is a Yin-Yang realm shuttle craft built by the ancient 'Yin' Dynasty." "You can also call it the Ancient Yin Warship, or the Yin-Yang Warship."

True Monarch Tianyang continued, "The Shang Tang Order is used to summon this ship."

Zhao Xing examined the warship and asked, "Grandmaster, can it traverse both the Yin and Yang Realms?" True Monarch Tianyang replied, "Yes, and it can reach any location."

"Wherever you are in the Yang Realm, you can summon it with the Shang Tang Order, and it will swiftly appear, tear open the two realms, and take you aboard."

"Its speed is extremely fast, almost unimpeded in the Yin Realm. We had great difficulty capturing it, spending a long time to acquire just one."

"Its rank is very high; it was likely reserved for the Yin Dynasty's royalty."

Zhao Xing was stunned; he fully grasped the implications.

"Grandmaster, are you giving me something so valuable?" True Monarch Tianyang chuckled, "Not for your personal ownership, but for your use as a loan."

"This belongs to the Yin Realm's God of Agriculture. Once Li Boqian dies, it will come under his jurisdiction."

"However, he still has some time to live. While I am in charge, I'll let you use it."

"Aren't you going to the Ancient Dragon Court? If you encounter a powerful enemy with no escape, there's always the path through the Yin Realm."

True Monarch Tianyang led Zhao Xing aboard the Ancient Yin Warship. "This ship can tear open the Yin-Yang barrier and take both your physical body and soul with it."

"Once on board, even first-grade enemies won't be able to catch you, because their physical bodies cannot enter the Yin Realm; only their souls can."

"Even a first-grade Primordial Soul, if it enters, cannot possibly catch up to the Ancient Yin Warship." "You can escape back, and then use it to tear open the Yin-Yang barrier and return to the Yang Realm."

Zhao Xing was astounded that such a thing was possible! To allow one's physical body to travel through the Yin Realm—this was definitely a divine artifact!

He had myriad clones, so even if he faced an encirclement, he wouldn't lack the time to summon the warship.

As long as it was summoned, with the Shang Tang Order, he could board the ship and escape through the Yin Realm.

"You can summon it in most parts of the Ancient Dragon Court."

"First, familiarize yourself with its use," True Monarch Tianyang said. "Its trajectory is unpredictable; it moves chaotically in the Yin Realm."

"However, by inserting the Shang Tang Order here, you can control its movement."

True Monarch Tianyang led Zhao Xing to the bow. On the bow deck was a rectangular pillar, which appeared to be the control mechanism.

Once the disc was inserted, the Ancient Yin Warship swiftly darted into the Yin winds. True Monarch Tianyang took Zhao Xing's hand and pressed it into a groove.

"Your Primordial Soul will see some route maps; those are its operational trajectories."

True Monarch Tianyang explained, "I will show you how to confirm your position and the explored safe routes."

"As for the rest, do not wander around freely. We haven't fully explored the Ancient Yin Warship ourselves, so don't move about carelessly on the ship; just stay here."

"Yes," Zhao Xing nodded obediently. How could he dare to wander around?

It took Zhao Xing seven days to initially grasp how to control the colossal vessel's movement.

"Disciple-grandson, time is almost up. Your life soul is only third-grade; it's not good to stay in the Yin Realm for too long. You must return." "Yes."

Once Zhao Xing had grasped it, True Monarch Tianyang swiftly guided him back.

"Remember, your physical body also cannot stay on the warship for too long. Once you've successfully escaped, you must quickly return to the Yang Realm."

"You can only stay in the Yin Realm for a maximum of seven days; staying longer will cause problems."

"Yes, this disciple-grandson understands."

Zhao Xing's Primordial Soul returned to his physical body. When he opened his eyes, he found a token in his hand.

The surrounding incense gradually burned out, and True Monarch Tianyang reverted to his statue form.

"Marquis Shenwei, should we add more incense?" a priest inquired from the side hall. "No need, thank you," Zhao Xing replied, putting away the Shang Tang Order, then cupped his hands to bid farewell to True Monarch Tianyang before turning to leave.

"What took you so long?" King Tianyan asked. "Did you wander into the Yin Realm with your soul?"

"Yes, I did go for a visit." "Let's go, next location."

King Tianyan didn't ask further. What True Monarch Tianyang intended to give Zhao Xing was not his place to inquire about.

The next place King Tianyan took Zhao Xing was called Saintly Word Academy. Saintly Word Academy was a sacred site for cultivators of rites.

The main reason for bringing Zhao Xing there was to address his weaknesses. "Do you remember your performance in the trials at the Cave Heaven of Canghai?" King Tianyan asked. "I do, but I don't know if the scores were real," Zhao Xing replied, explaining that the scores displayed in the Earth Mirror had been hidden for score control.

"You performed the worst in the Dragon Language Edict trial," King Tianyan said. "Because you haven't practiced this method much, and your learning time was short, we now have to ask someone to give you intensive tutoring."

"At Saintly Word Academy, I found a master of rites to teach you. His name is Shi Wenxuan, nicknamed 'Recluse Xiaoshan,' and he is a Doctor of Classics specializing in 'Dragon Language'."

"His mastery of Dragon Language is arguably among the top three in the world. Shi Wenxuan is specifically responsible for special training those who are to enter the Ancient Dragon Court. He teaches only high-grade individuals."

Zhao Xing immediately became interested. If he could teach other high-grade professions, then this master of rites was indeed very powerful.

For a master of rites, it was extremely difficult to awaken the spiritual wisdom (Ling and Hui souls) of the top three grades because these two souls were already very strong at that level.

Since it was called special training, it would undoubtedly involve awakening the Ling and Hui souls, rapidly enhancing students' comprehension, logical thinking, creativity, and learning ability.

Awakening intelligence was far more difficult than diminishing it!

"Originally, you weren't qualified to participate in his special training; you were assigned a third-grade master of rites from the Pinghai Province branch of Saintly Word Academy."

"However, plans changed faster than anticipated; you've now reached the third-grade realm."

"So, the original method can no longer be used." King Tianyan added, "Actually, his roster is full, but I've temporarily added you. In any case, there are only a few years left until the opening."

Zhao Xing nodded. The court's preparations for the Ancient Dragon Court began very early. It opened once every century, and preparations had to start fifty years before its opening.

Not to mention mid-grade officials, high-grade officials began their preparations as early as fifty years prior. Even the selection of mid-grade slots commenced twenty years before the opening.

He participated in the preliminary selection in the 20th year of Jingxin, which was actually quite late. Dragon Language, as an essential technique for the Ancient Dragon Court, was of paramount importance.

Shi Wenxuan already had many students learning from him; Zhao Xing was now considered a "transfer student."

"Learn as much as you can. I also plan to reserve a year for you to study spells in Xuantian and Kunyuan."

"Yes, I will do my best," Zhao Xing nodded.

King Tianyan led Zhao Xing to Saintly Word Academy, located in the northern part of Fengdu. Recluse Xiaoshan's Elegant Residence was Shi Wenxuan's dwelling.

When King Tianyan brought Zhao Xing over, an imposing old man in scholar's robes with a square face appraised Zhao Xing. "You are Zhao Xing?"

"Indeed, junior greets Teacher Shi." Zhao Xing bowed.

He also observed Shi Wenxuan. The old master's aura was unique. Facing him, Zhao Xing felt as if he were before a slumbering leviathan.

"A good foundation; you have the basis for learning Dragon Language," Shi Wenxuan said indifferently. "I just don't know if you have the talent and comprehension."

King Tianyan grinned. "Brother Shi, you can rest assured on that front."

"I guarantee he's no fool; he can rank among the top three in your current batch of students."

In fact, King Tianyan was being conservative; Zhao Xing was the fastest person in history to cultivate the Derivation Divine Art. If he cultivated life-soul spells so quickly, how could his comprehension be weak?

"Oh?" Shi Wenxuan finally showed a hint of interest. He only took on thirty-five students, but half of them were second-grade!

Anyone who reached this realm and was sent to the Ancient Dragon Court for missions was surely a favored child of heaven.

If King Tianyan claimed Zhao Xing's comprehension could rank in the top three, then he truly had to think highly of Zhao Xing.

"Very well, then from today, he's entrusted to me for special training." "No problem, do as you see fit," King Tianyan replied, brimming with more confidence than Zhao Xing himself.

Shi Wenxuan looked at Zhao Xing. "Come with me."

At Recluse Xiaoshan's Elegant Residence, thirty-five students were learning Dragon Language from Shi Wenxuan. By the 37th year of Jingxin, he no longer taught basic material, and even intermediate courses were rare.

With only two and a half years left until the opening, how could he still be teaching fundamentals?

Therefore, when Zhao Xing entered the practice room at Recluse Xiaoshan's Elegant Residence, the individuals inside were demonstrating extremely profound Dragon Language secret techniques.

"Oooooong! Oooooong! Oooooong!" "Boom! Boom!" Dragon roars intertwined with lightning, wind, and rain.

Dragon Language was both a language and a secret art. As these individuals spoke, Yuanqi vibrated, the world changed color, and various dragon-shaped Dharma projections appeared behind them.

Shi Wenxuan did not place Zhao Xing with these students; he quickly bypassed that area and led him to another courtyard.

This was because King Tianyan had mentioned that Zhao Xing hadn't learned much and was a last-minute addition. Zhao Xing's progress would undoubtedly be significantly different from the other thirty-five students.

Shi Wenxuan could only give him a separate lesson. Upon reaching the location, the two sat facing each other across a desk.

"Have you learned the Ten Thousand Beasts Mantra?" "Yes." "Show me."

"Hee-hee-hee!" "Roar! Roar!" "Moo!"

Zhao Xing employed all the mantra techniques he had learned, which were acquired during his years as Supervising Chief in the Dragon Horse Bureau.

"Good, that's enough," Shi Wenxuan said calmly. "There's still a significant gap; you haven't fully reached the Dragon Language proficiency expected of a third-grade cultivator."

"Yes, please guide me, Teacher," Zhao Xing said humbly.

"Dragon Language has three major tiers—Lower, Middle, and Upper—corresponding to the three major tiers of dragon races."

"Lower-tier dragons have noisy, chaotic vocalizations, devoid of any divine essence," Shi Wenxuan explained. "These dragons also possess low true dragon bloodlines and are at the very bottom of the dragon hierarchy. They are essentially hybrids, crossbred over countless generations."

"Middle-tier dragons have clear vocalizations and orderly sound lines, possessing an initial grasp of the divine way."

"The 'clear dragon roar, sound purifying its form' refers to middle-tier dragons."

"They know how to use Dragon Language for cultivation, controlling the Yuanqi of heaven and earth to purify their bloodlines and make themselves stronger."

"Most middle-tier dragons have activated their true dragon bloodlines and possess certain innate secret techniques."

"Upper-tier dragons have divine essence hidden within their vocalizations, uttering sounds like ancient golden script, containing the mysteries of heaven and earth's laws—their Dragon Language is a decree!"

"They already possess the potential to transform into true dragons, with further strengthened bloodlines, capable of controlling the Yin-Yang Five Elements, wind, rain, thunder, and lightning of heaven and earth, nearing the legendary divine abilities of true dragons."

Shi Wenxuan stated, "Although humans cultivating Dragon Language cannot purify their bloodlines or develop innate secret techniques like dragons, they can still strengthen their three souls and seven spiritual essences."

"They can embody its sound, form, and spiritual charm. Your current level barely touches upon the middle-tier Dragon Language."

Zhao Xing listened quietly. Because Dragon Language was not a common cultivation manual and was not widely disseminated, its classification system was three tiers with twenty-seven levels.

Each tier of Dragon Language had nine minor levels. According to Shi Wenxuan, Zhao Xing had just barely reached the first level of the middle tier.

If he were still at his fifth-grade cultivation level from back then, gaining a few more levels would have been sufficient for the Ancient Dragon Court.

But now that he was third-grade, only having mastered middle-tier Dragon Language would put him at a significant disadvantage when facing enemies.

This was because Dragon Language edicts involved authority over certain checkpoints in the Ancient Dragon Court. If an enemy's Dragon Language level surpassed his, he would suffer in combat.

"I've prepared a set of advanced resources to aid your Dragon Language cultivation: five Xi-Yin Dragon Stones for contemplation, and seven paintings depicting the Dao."

"During this period, if you have any questions, you can ask me at any time."

"If you cannot advance three levels within a month, it will prove that you have no hope of reaching the upper-tier Dragon Language level before the ancient site opens."

"I will also cease teaching you, and you can use the remaining time to strengthen other aspects."

Shi Wenxuan waved his hand, and a large, warm bamboo box immediately flew onto Zhao Xing's desk.

Inside were five translucent stones, appearing as if dragons swam within them, and seven scrolls radiating a golden luster.