Chapter 59: Mountain Farming Below, People Falling from the Mountain Above

"Who are the masters here?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Cao Qiushui, Wen Zhao, Du Jiaojiao, Hong Sihai, Dong Chuan, Xiang Chenglin..." Zong Shichang reeled off a dozen names in one breath. "Everyone I've mentioned is at the ninth stage of Qi Gathering, just one step away from reaching a higher rank."

"Brother Zhao, if you wish to know their detailed backgrounds and origins, perhaps we can chat about it at leisure."

"Alright, let's do that," Zhao Xing no longer refused.

In truth, he didn't care whether he knew these masters or not. His plan for the first day was simply to stay at the foot of the mountain and cultivate, with no intention of immediately climbing up to join the competition.

*Whoosh*

A gentle breeze swirled around the bottom of the bamboo box. Zhao Xing hoisted the box onto his back and resumed his journey.

"Others use wind to carry heavy objects and end up covered in dust, but your method of conjuring wind is truly ingenious," Zong Shichang praised.

"Young Master Zong also has good stamina," Zhao Xing noted, seeing that Zong Shichang wasn't using wind to support his bamboo box.

"Not at all. My bamboo box has a built-in weight-reducing effect, so I don't need to bear its weight." Zong Shichang lightly patted the outside of the box, and immediately, a swirling breeze appeared around its bottom, sides, and back.

Faint green lights emanated from it. Not only did Zong Shichang not have to carry it, but he was also leaning heavily on the box, effectively being pushed along by it!

Zhao Xing was speechless.

Being rich truly was amazing.

Young Master Zong's item was undoubtedly a luxury.

A mere bamboo box for holding things was a high-grade third-tier artifact.

Zhao Xing, though somewhat wealthy himself, wouldn't spend money so extravagantly.

"Once we pass this mountain tablet, we'll truly be inside Ling Mountain. What are your plans, Brother Zhao?" The two walked along the mountain path until they stopped before a tablet.

"I plan to chop you down, Brother Zong, and steal your box. You must have many treasures on you," Zhao Xing said calmly.

Zong Shichang was momentarily stunned. "Is that really necessary? I don't have much of value on me."

Zhao Xing chuckled, "Anyway, once we pass the Forget-Sorrow Tablet, we won't remember anything after descending the mountain. So why not? You're so ostentatious, Brother Zong, with a high-grade third-tier treasure as a mere box. Why let someone else benefit when you could benefit me?"

Zong Shichang realized Zhao Xing was joking, but also subtly warning him to be more discreet. He scratched his head and said, "You've got a point. Even if my father has influence, if I can't remember who bullied me, how would I get revenge?"

Zong Shichang then deactivated the bamboo box's special effects. The box instantly became plain and unremarkable, no longer emitting faint green lights.

This meant he would now have to carry the box entirely on his own strength.

"Conjur wind!"

*Whoosh-whoosh*

"Cough, cough... stop, Brother Zong. Let me give you a hand instead."

Zhao Xing choked on the dust stirred up by the wind and quickly told him to stop.

What kind of wind conjuring was that?

"My apologies," Zong Shichang said, slightly embarrassed. "I'm not used to such delicate work."

Zhao Xing shrugged and continued forward.

After passing the mountain tablet, the spiritual energy felt noticeably richer.

The first three days after the mountain opened were when the spiritual energy was most potent. If a day of Qi gathering outside yielded a power of 1, then inside the mountain, it was 10. This was just at the foot of the mountain; it could be even more intense higher up.

Donghu Mountain was remarkably perilous and steep. Zhao Xing walked around its base for half an hour before finally finding a suitable planting spot.

He chose a location beneath a cliff, next to a small stream.

"Brother Zhao, you're not going up the mountain, and you walked around its base for so long just to plant crops?" Zong Shichang saw Zhao Xing taking items out of his bamboo box, initially thinking he was stopping for a meal, only to find they were several saplings.

"You've been following me for so long; you're not seriously here just to sightsee, are you?" Zhao Xing asked, surprised. "Besides food, did you bring nothing else? Do you not plan to participate in gathering spiritual essence from the mountain at all?"

"Not entirely," Zong Shichang replied. He had already set up a tent and folded his bamboo box twice, transforming it into a lounge chair.

He reclined by the stream, holding a pot of fine wine, and began to drink. "Before entering the mountain, I hired four skilled individuals to gather the mountain's spiritual essence for me."

"Once they've collected enough on the mountain, I'll simply take it and report it as my own."

Zhao Xing asked while planting, "They'll agree to that? The mountain's spiritual essence is valuable; perhaps a promotion depends on that very essence."

Zong Shichang chuckled, "Why do they gather spiritual essence? Simply to get promoted and become rich. I can directly help them achieve that. Isn't that more reliable?"

Zhao Xing asked, "Brother Zong, would you mind if I paid thirty taels to punch you?"

***

Inside the bamboo box Xue Wenzhong prepared for Zhao Xing were saplings of Vajra Bamboo and Azure Vine.

Zhao Xing took out three of each and planted them on the spot.

He then activated the Earth Vein Synthesis, covering the soil within a one-li radius.

"Move Clouds!"

"Spread Rain!"

With a pointing hand, a small cloud appeared three meters above the saplings, perfectly covering a ten-square-meter area of soil.

With the stream nearby, Zhao Xing easily drew enough water for the rain, consuming very little of his own spiritual energy.

*Pitter-patter*

The raindrops soaked into the soil.

Zhao Xing cast another spell, an cultivation technique.

"Excellent work!" Young Master Zong applauded from the side. "To control the clouds so precisely, you truly live up to your title, Zhao Sanjia. Are you planning to create more straw figures again?"

I'm toiling here, and you're treating it like a show? Zhao Xing retorted without hesitation, "Yes, the same kind of straw figures I used to beat you with last time."

Zong Shichang felt a chill down his spine, seemingly recalling unpleasant memories, and his smile shifted to Zhao Xing's face instead.

Young Master Zong, having been rebuffed, looked away and continued to drink by himself.

As he continued his work, Zhao Xing noticed the fellow had actually fallen asleep.

You really are just here for a leisurely autumn outing!

Shaking his head, Zhao Xing went back to work.

Because Donghu Mountain was rich in spiritual energy and had been sealed for over half a year, its soil was exceptionally fertile.

The Vajra Bamboo and Azure Vines Zhao Xing planted quickly entered their growth phase.

"Once they reach their growth phase, it's manageable. Their roots are deeply anchored, capable of withstanding accelerated growth from mid-level spells."

"Savage Growth!"

Six golden lights shot from Zhao Xing's fingertips, sinking into the Vajra Bamboo and Azure Vines.

This single action consumed half of his spiritual energy, but the effect was remarkably evident.

*Hiss, hiss* The Azure Vines began to grow wildly, clinging to the cliff face. In the blink of an eye, they had climbed a meter high and sprouted flowers.

The Vajra Bamboo performed just as well, growing taller almost every second. After a quarter of an hour, it had even surpassed the vine's growth rate.

*Hiss, hiss* Conversely, the surrounding environment began to show the opposite effect: all the green grass withered, and smaller trees started shedding their leaves.

Even many fish in the stream began to float belly-up.

The surroundings took on the appearance of late autumn.

"Am I dreaming? What's going on?" Zong Shichang looked around in astonishment. He had clearly pitched his tent on green grass, but upon waking, he found withered grass beneath him!

The leaves on the surrounding trees had also turned yellow and, with a gust of wind, swirled down onto Zong Shichang's head.

"Brother Zong, you overslept. It's already late autumn," Zhao Xing casually fabricated.

"Do you take me for a three-year-old?" Zong Shichang scoffed. "I only slept for an hour at most."

"Well, you're quite capa... Hmm?" Zhao Xing's expression suddenly changed. As if sensing something, he sharply looked up.

A dark shadow appeared in the sky and plummeted down the cliff face.

*Splat!* The shadow hit the shattered rock beach ahead, immediately splashing crimson.

Zhao Xing's expression shifted slightly. It was a person who had fallen!