Chapter 78: Locking the Bamboo Horse, Shattering the War Soul, Gaining the First Fragrance

On the square, a sudden change occurred.

The hobbyhorse glowed brightly, then suddenly turned its head and stomped towards Zhao Xing's position with the crushing force of Mount Tai.

Two people on the scene immediately realized the hobbyhorse's true power.

One was Hu Yang; as a mechanist, he was naturally familiar with it, as hobbyhorses are a type of mechanical beast and among the most classic ones.

Ordinary hobbyhorses, even those of third-tier high-grade, rarely develop strong sentience. However, the hobbyhorse ridden by Yang Junxiong not only possessed sentience but was also exceptionally powerful.

Having accompanied its master on battlefields for many years, it had transformed into a 'Battle Spirit'!

Through countless campaigns, the hobbyhorse's Battle Spirit also acquired powerful combat instincts, its combat power being comparable to its master's!

When Yang Junxiong attained rank on the mountain, the sentient Battle Spirit within the hobbyhorse also ascended.

It was as if both man and horse had attained rank!

The second person to notice something amiss was Du Jiaojiao. Her Bright Eyes had reached nine transformations, and when Yang Junxiong dismounted the hobbyhorse, a ghostly image of him appeared on its back.

Two ranked auras were detected!

This separation of Yang Junxiong and his hobbyhorse was clearly premeditated.

If the Mountain Cat tried to stop him, the hobbyhorse would gravely injure Zhao Xing; if anyone went to rescue Zhao Xing, he could then take the incense and enter the temple.

On this final night, he finally stopped concealing his strength and revealed his true hand.

"Boom!"

The hobbyhorse stomped through the air, seemingly with the might of a thousand armies.

Zong Shichang and those around him felt their breath catch; a heavy pressure descended, making his legs tremble.

Fortunately, a temple official near him sensed the Battle Spirit's presence and instantly retreated with Zong Shichang.

However, the others seemed to have no time to react, or perhaps they were pressed immobile by the hobbyhorse's formidable presence.

Just as everyone thought Zhao Xing was doomed, a calm voice emerged:

“Don't come back to save me; focus on that big fellow.”

“Huh? He can still speak under the influence of the Battle Spirit's malevolent energy?” Yang Junxiong glanced over, seeing Zhao Xing standing tall and unaffected.

“A mere minion dares call itself a Battle Spirit?!” Zhao Xing had a floating cloud above his head, and with five fingers pointed skyward, his body instantly erupted with lightning.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!"

Purple lightning bolts suddenly shot from his fingertips, rapidly combining in intricate patterns to form five lariats.

It was his self-created spell, Lightning Lariats!

“Go!”

The Lightning Lariats danced, like agile lightning snakes, heading straight for the Battle Spirit.

“Kill!”

The Battle Spirit's phantom raised its spear and swept through a thousand armies, but the Lightning Lariats were incredibly flexible, not entangling with the Battle Spirit itself, but lashing out at the hobbyhorse.

“Boom!” Purple light collided with red light, and the malevolent energy was instantly weakened by a third.

“Boom, boom, boom, boom!”

Five continuous lariats lashed out with extreme speed, so fast that people couldn't react.

The hobbyhorse's Battle Spirit was experienced, but despite swinging its spear five times, only two strikes truly interfered with the Lightning Lariats.

The other three bypassed it completely.

This was the beauty of the Yin Lightning technique. Unlike the brute force of the Lightning Great Palm, Yin Lightning was incredibly fast and nimble. Upon encountering the spear, it didn't dissipate but gently bounced off, coiling around the hobbyhorse's neck.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!"

Sparks immediately flew where the lightning intertwined with the hobbyhorse, and its speed dramatically decreased, its charging momentum obstructed.

“What?!” Yang Junxiong was greatly astonished. He had considered that the Mountain Cat might block his hobbyhorse, but he never expected Zhao Xing, a ninth-tier Element Gathering agricultural official, to have a way to stop it.

Just this moment of distraction, “Thump!” Yang Junxiong felt a heavy blow to his chest and was involuntarily sent flying backward.

Mountain Cat's secret technique: Weight of Wind Manipulation!

The Mountain Cat had fiercely kicked his chest with both hind legs, using the 'Weight of Wind Manipulation' kick, borrowing the power of wind travel. This kick was astonishingly powerful!

“Beast!” Yang Junxiong's eyes turned sinister. He stopped focusing on the hobbyhorse and concentrated on dealing with the Mountain Cat.

His chest guard mirror already had some cracks; if he were distracted again, he might be gravely injured by the Mountain Cat.

“This…” Du Jiaojiao stopped.

Although a woman, she possessed a chivalrous spirit and had known Zong Shichang since childhood, so she couldn't ignore him when he was in danger.

But she hadn't expected the situation to change so quickly.

Yang Junxiong's hobbyhorse Battle Spirit had actually failed to work!

The five lariats had locked down the hobbyhorse, and the malevolent energy on the Battle Spirit had significantly weakened.

“Battle Spirit Burn!”

“Thousand Mountains Stomp!”

Seeing itself trapped, the knight's phantom on the hobbyhorse raised its spear high, and the hobbyhorse reared its front hooves, then stomped down fiercely, unleashing a terrifying wave of air.

The Battle Spirit and the hobbyhorse simultaneously unleashed their secret techniques; the wild, untamed knight sought to break free from the chains.

“Snap!”

One of the lightning chains was actually broken!

“Let's see how many you can break free from!”

Lightning flashed in Zhao Xing's eyes, and he simultaneously raised his left hand.

Three more lightning chains appeared!

Having obtained so many spiritual essences, many of which were elemental spell essences, his Lightning Lariats had reached the eighth transformation!

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!"

Three lightning chains swiftly locked the hobbyhorse's head, pulling the rearing hobbyhorse forcefully back down.

The 'Thousand Mountains Stomp' mid-tier secret technique was interrupted before it could be fully unleashed.

“Yin Wind! Rise!”

A gust of Yin Wind blew from beneath the ground, heading straight for the Battle Spirit on the hobbyhorse's back.

Previously, due to the obstruction of malevolent energy, the Yin Wind could hardly directly affect the Battle Spirit's essence.

But now that it was trapped by the Lightning Lariats and its malevolent energy was greatly weakened, the Yin Wind could exploit this opening.

"Whoosh!"

Although it was just a gust of wind, the Battle Spirit on the hobbyhorse seemed as if it had been doused with cold water.

The malevolent flames surrounding the Battle Spirit immediately diminished by more than half, becoming dim and lusterless!

The Yin Wind spell targeted spirits; although it didn't directly cause severe damage to the Battle Spirit, its offensive was completely obstructed, losing all momentum.

“Lightning Great Palm!”

While the hobbyhorse and Battle Spirit were trapped, Zhao Xing unleashed a third spell.

A purple palm suddenly flew out from the floating cloud above his head. When it first flew out, it was only the size of a normal hand, but as it soared into the air, its size dramatically increased.

When it descended upon the hobbyhorse's head, it was an astonishing four meters long and one meter thick!

The Lightning Great Palm slammed down fiercely.

It struck the Battle Spirit's head.

“Thump!”

The hobbyhorse crashed down, the Battle Spirit roared, violently slamming onto the square and leaving a large crater.

The seven-transformation Lightning Great Palm was incredibly forceful; half of the Battle Spirit's body was actually shattered.

Lightning spells could also harm spirits, especially powerful Yang Lightning, which had amplified lethality against pure spirit bodies.

Zhao Xing first used Lightning Lariats to weaken the Battle Spirit's malevolent energy shield, then used Yin Wind to diminish its power. This final strike immediately produced a miraculous effect.

“No!” Yang Junxiong's eyes were bloodshot, and he frantically charged towards the hobbyhorse.

That was the Battle Spirit he had painstakingly cultivated for ten years on the battlefield; now it was about to be destroyed, which was tantamount to taking his life.

“Meow!” The Mountain Cat flashed forward and kicked, instantly sending Yang Junxiong flying again.

Its speed was too fast; its divine speed talent made the Mountain Cat's speed superior among all ninth-rank beings.

It was impossible for Yang Junxiong to get past the Mountain Cat.

“Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!!!!”

The thunder never ceased, and the purple palm took the opportunity to strike furiously.

In the blink of an eye, the hobbyhorse's Battle Spirit took several heavy blows.

A terrifying thunderous roar echoed across the Altar of Heaven Square, causing onlookers to involuntarily retreat.

In reality, many people didn't understand the combat situation, because without fully leveled Bright Eyes, one couldn't see the Battle Spirit.

However, Zhao Xing's Lightning Lariats and Great Palm were observable.

A mid-tier lightning spell reaching seven or eight transformations had incredibly terrifying power. Ordinary thunderclaps would make people jump, let alone a forceful mid-tier lightning spell.

“What kind of lightning spell is this? How can it be so domineering?!”

“I've never seen such a lightning spell that can form a palm?”

“Alas, my defeat was not unjust.”

Cao Qiushui watched this scene, a deep sense of powerlessness rising within him. He had originally thought that with his increased cultivation, he might have closed some of the gap.

Now it seemed that the distance had not only failed to shrink but had actually grown wider.

The strong remain strong. Zhao Xing's experiences on this spiritual mountain were undoubtedly far more numerous than his own.

“Thump!”

With the final strike, the Battle Spirit was directly shattered.

Its former miraculous qualities instantly vanished.

The luster on the hobbyhorse disappeared, dropping it from third-tier high-grade to third-tier low-grade.

Chains locked the hobbyhorse, lightning shattered the Battle Spirit!

After Yang Junxiong's mark was erased, Zhao Xing gently pulled, and the hobbyhorse came to stand before him, now an ownerless object.

“Pfft!” Yang Junxiong spat out a mouthful of blood.

He had only barely been able to resist the Mountain Cat before, but now completely disoriented, he could no longer resist and was scratched across his chest and abdomen by the Mountain Cat's Thunder-Rending Claws.

“Rip!” The lightning-flashing claws tore through his chest armor, even raking a bloody wound across Yang Junxiong's chest.

“Thump!” The Mountain Cat kicked with its hind leg, and Yang Junxiong's body fell outside the square, unconscious.

The wind died down, the lightning dispersed, and silence fell over the square.

Everyone watched this scene, their eyes filled with shock.

Yang Junxiong, the arrogant knight who had claimed first incense for two consecutive nights, was defeated just like that.

And even after revealing his trump card, he was defeated so utterly.

“I can understand him not being able to defeat the Mountain Cat, but how could a Battle Spirit hobbyhorse be defeated by an unranked agricultural official?”

Hu Yang murmured to himself, staring blankly at the hobbyhorse that had lost its sentience. He well knew the might of mechanical beasts, but the outcome was difficult for him to accept.

Didn't this mean Zhao Xing could easily defeat his own mechanical beasts?

“This guy…” Lu Qian's eyes flashed with horror. “How did he cultivate? Is he proficient in all four Celestial Time Arts?”

“Sister Jiao, do the three of us still have a chance to get the first incense?!”

A strange glint appeared in Du Jiaojiao's eyes; she was eager to try.

But then she shook her head.

“Unless Qianqian and Qing'er, the two of you, can elevate the power of Da Shao by another level and cooperate with me, perhaps we could contend with him.”

“Only 'contend with him' after another level up?” Liu Muqing also shook her head, which meant there was no hope.

Nevertheless, she still raised her spear and soared into the air.

Although she knew in her heart that she couldn't win, how could a courageous martial artist be intimidated before even fighting? Du Jiaojiao still wanted to try.

“Mountain Cat, she wants to steal your toy, kick her!”

“Meow!” As Du Jiaojiao just took to the air, a black shadow flew over and suddenly kicked with its hind leg. Caught off guard, Du Jiaojiao only had time to resist with her spear.

“Thump!” The silver spear bent, pressed against Du Jiaojiao's chest, and she was sent flying back to the ground at an even faster speed, her feet aching from the impact.

Wind Control Weight was a mid-tier, seven-transformation secret technique, and the Mountain Cat itself was a rare species. Even as a cub, its strength after attaining rank was astonishing.

“Meow!” The Mountain Cat padded with catlike steps, bowing and threatening.

It seemed to be saying that whoever dared to rise into the air and try to steal its toy would get beaten.

The Mountain Cat looked endearingly clumsy when it turned fierce, but the crowd on the square was utterly terrified.

Two ranked powerhouses were actually kicked down by the Mountain Cat.

What kind of species is this, anyway?!

“Can't win. The Mountain Cat is too fast. Yang Junxiong couldn't defend against it, and neither can I.” Du Jiaojiao was philosophical after trying once. “It's not a matter of technique, but an innate advantage of a rare beast.”

Since even Du Jiaojiao gave up, naturally no one on the square dared to compete.

Everyone retreated slightly, waiting for Zhao Xing, the newly appointed strongest contender, to speak.

Zhao Xing remained silent, and the others dared not ask.

Winner takes all. Now, however many incense sticks he said he would take, he could take. However long he wanted to wait, everyone else could only wait with him.

Not only rival competitors but even his 'own people'—Uncle Hu, Uncle Cang, and Yuan Bo—were awestruck and dared not approach to disturb him.

It was Young Master Zong who finally lost patience and asked, “Zhao Sanjia, how do you plan to arrange the ten incense sticks? If you don't take them, no one else dares.”

Zhao Xing pondered, “Shen Zhui and I will take the first and second. As for the rest, Young Master Zong, you can decide.”

They had to descend the mountain as soon as dawn broke, so taking more incense sticks wouldn't be particularly useful.

Zong Shichang had also run out of silver notes, and it wouldn't be good for him to exchange anything with Zhao Xing using this. There was no need to be so mercenary; they had some friendship after all.

“Alright, so I'll announce it for you?”

“Mm.”

Zong Shichang seized the opportunity to show off and immediately struck a pose.

Standing with his hands behind his back, he struck what he considered a dashing pose, then ran below the incense sticks and conjured wind to carry his voice in all directions.

“Regarding the incense for worship, my brother Zhao and I will take eight sticks. As for the remaining two, the capable shall claim them!”

With that, Zong Shichang conjured a gust of wind, sweeping eight sticks of incense from mid-air into his arms.

The others dared to be angry but not to speak.

While others dared not speak, Du Jiaojiao's side was displeased. Lu Qian shouted at Zong Eighteenth, “Zong Eighteenth, it wasn't your achievement, so why are you acting so high and mighty?!”

Unexpectedly, Zong Shichang ran over, grinning. “How could I forget you? Here, these are three incense sticks. I took them down for you so you wouldn't have to jump for them.”

Seeing this, Lu Qian immediately spoke sarcastically, “Oh, you're so kind you'd even think of Sister Jiao and me? Aren't you perhaps getting them for Qing'er?”

Zong Shichang, exposed, couldn't help but blush and secretly glance at Liu Muqing.

Du Jiaojiao glared at Lu Qian, then cupped her hands towards Zong Shichang. “Thank you, Brother Zong. Does Zhao Xing have any specific order for entering the temple?”

Zong Shichang replied, “He naturally gets the first incense. The second incense is for Shen Zhui, oh, that's the martial artist who was chasing Gu Feng earlier.”

“And after that?” Lu Qian asked.

“Naturally, I will arrange it.”

“How do you want to arrange it then?”

“I want Miss Liu to go in third.”

“Hah, Zong Shichang, you truly harbor impure intentions! And you said it wasn't for Qing'er!”

While Zong Shichang was conversing, Shen Zhui also returned to the square.

His iron ruler and body both had bloodstains, but not his own.

“Are you alright, Brother Shen?”

Shen Zhui unstrapped the bow from his back. “Fortunately, I didn't fail you; I avenged that arrow attack for you.”

Archers valued their bows as their lives. Now that Gu Feng's longbow was in Shen Zhui's possession, even if he hadn't lost half his life, he was close to it.

“A fine bow, Brother Shen. Formidable.”

This person was reliable. Zhao Xing had only mentioned being secretly injured by Gu Feng's arrow during the day and asked him to delay Gu Feng later.

He hadn't expected the other party to be so zealous as to directly snatch Gu Feng's bow.

For an archer whose bow was stolen, it meant either death or ruination.

Shen Zhui re-slung the bow. “What's the result of the incense competition? Has it begun?”

Zhao Xing smiled. “It's already over. We're just waiting for Brother Shen to enter the temple.”

“Huh? It's over?”

With some astonishment, Shen Zhui accepted an incense stick from Zhao Xing.

“Brother Shen, please enter the temple and offer the first incense.”

Shen Zhui shook his head. “No, I already broke my promise, and I haven't really helped much. The first incense should rightfully be yours.”

At Chen Shijie's residence back then, Zhao Xing was willing to share half of his two pears. Shen Zhui remembered this well. He already felt indebted to Zhao Xing, so how could he possibly take the first incense?

“Alright, then I'll go in first, and Brother Shen, you'll go second.”

Zhao Xing, the Mountain Cat, and Shen Zhui—two people and one beast—all possessed ranked combat power. After the temple entry order was set, no one dared to object.

After descending the Altar of Heaven, the first eight individuals entered the temple in order.

They were Zhao Xing, Shen Zhui, Liu Muqing, Du Jiaojiao, Lu Qian, Zong Shichang, Uncle Cang, and Uncle Hu.

The other two incense sticks were claimed by Hu Yang and Cao Qiushui.

As for those after them, they could only honestly compete for the second batch of incense.

Inside the temple.

“Agricultural Official Zhao Xing, requests the True Monarch to manifest.”

Smoke swirled, and the surroundings grew dim. A giant's shadowy spirit seemed to appear before Zhao Xing.

“You request this monarch to manifest. What is your desire?”

Zhao Xing cupped his hands and said, “I request the True Monarch to bestow a high-grade spiritual essence.”

“You have obtained the first incense, so you rightfully deserve this opportunity. This monarch will send you there; whether you can grasp it depends on yourself.”

“Thank you, True Monarch.”

Another gust of smoke blew past, enveloping the Mountain Cat, the hobbyhorse, and other items. Zhao Xing felt he was no longer in his original spot.

Looking again, he was astonished to find himself at the edge of a cliff.

“Meow!” The Mountain Cat let out a cry, its eyes filled with confusion. How did they suddenly appear here?

“Is there a high-grade spiritual essence here?” Zhao Xing was also puzzled; he hadn't felt any premonition.

He looked around, and a sense of familiarity immediately arose.

“This location… wasn't this where Yang Junxiong came before?”

At that time, when Zhao Xing was farming at the foot of the mountain, he had seen Yang Junxiong riding his hobbyhorse, leaping across ravines.

Zhao Xing realized he had also arrived at this location.

“Could it be that Yang Junxiong was searching for that high-grade spiritual essence?”

Claiming the first incense for a high-grade spiritual essence didn't mean it was simply handed to you, or that its location or method of acquisition was revealed.

Zhao Xing was able to find the Golden Goblet of Fortune because he had already discovered the location and found the high-grade spiritual essence, but was unable to obtain it.

The fifth incense stick asked for the method of acquisition, and the prerequisite was passing a trial.

“Yang Junxiong searched for two nights, and he still didn't succeed?”

“It seems getting this high-grade spiritual essence will be a bit difficult,” Zhao Xing thought to himself.

In a few more hours, they would all have to descend the mountain.

He wouldn't have another chance to offer incense and inquire.

“Yang Junxiong jumped around in the ravines, relying on this hobbyhorse.” Zhao Xing mounted the hobbyhorse. “I'll try it too.”

The hobbyhorse could help people leap through the air. Although it couldn't achieve prolonged flight, it could still bound quite far.

Although it had dropped in rank, its auxiliary functions were still present; it merely lacked the Battle Spirit.

“Giddy up!” Zhao Xing squeezed with his legs, and the hobbyhorse instantly gained momentum, running towards the cliff. As the hobbyhorse leaped, his body suddenly soared into the air.