Chapter 2: Clouds and Rain

After the hiccup, Zhao Xing continued planting rice, finishing the last acre of public land under his charge before sunset.

Basic and beginner spells leveled up quickly in the early stages, and his proficiency in the beginner spell, 'Thriving Growth,' had already reached 200 points.

Looking at the neatly arranged, lush green fields, Zhao Xing stood up and clapped his hands in satisfaction.

As he finished his work, he habitually glanced at his dashboard.

[Name: Zhao Xing]

[Realm: Unclassified]

[Luck: Yan Yi]

[Spell: Basic Cultivation (Maximum Level)]

[Thriving Growth: Beginner (201/9999)]

[Moving Cloud: Beginner (352/9999)]

[Gathering Essence: First Level (58/100)]

Since he hadn't changed his class, the dashboard data was quite simplistic.

These data will change with class acquisition and version updates, but even from this limited data, Zhao Xing was able to recall a lot of additional information. "After the Great Zhou Taizu unified the Nineteen Provinces, he vowed to capture all the world's talents and establish his teachings as eternal laws."

"He unified the realms of cultivation and established 'Nine Ranks and Thirty Levels'."

"Below the Fourth Rank, there are Righteous, Following, Upper, and Lower. Above the Fourth Rank, there are only Righteous and Following."

"Then, with immense magical powers, he bound the dynasty's destiny and established a rule: No one but the people of the Zhou Dynasty could cultivate."

"He also built temples in the Nineteen Provinces and taught the Dharma."

"This system was used until the Revival version, or when players broke through the level limit, and was only updated."

Early on the forums, this system was often criticized by players: "This is worse than 'Half-Step Peak Perfection'!"

Since he hasn't changed his class yet, his realm is 'Unranked'.

The destiny system is divided into forty-nine levels.

This symbolizes the meaning of 'Da Yan's fifty, Tian Yan's forty-nine'.

One destiny is basically the standard for billions of ordinary people. It also affects the effectiveness and success rate of certain spells. For example, the [Cloud Walking] spell I just cast had a "great success," which is purely a matter of luck.

The three types of spells are "techniques," and gathering essence is "merit."

Billions of people can "gather essence," strengthening their bodies and increasing their longevity and fortune. This is another achievement of the Great Zhou Taizu.

Under the premise that spiritual energy has not yet fully recovered, civil and military officials can use a weaker level of essence to cast powerful spells. "Cultivation is like building a towering building. The great fortune of the Great Zhou dynasty can help lay the foundation, adding bricks and tiles. A single imperial decree can propel one to meteoric heights, prolong one's lifespan, and transform one's destiny, leading them straight to the First Rank."

"Without officialdom, one is limited by qualifications, stuck at a bottleneck until death, while others soar. The unified Great Fortune Dynasty, relying on this official-centered cultivation system, truly captures the world's most talented people."

"However, the downside is also obvious. The same imperial decree can also cast one into the abyss, stripping one of their cultivation and returning their fortune to the court."

"I remember there's a way to eat the sugar coating and return the cannonball... but it's too early to consider that right now."

"In this era, the Great Zhou is invincible. Now is the reign of Emperor Jing. After Emperor Wu, the once invincible Great Zhou will begin to decline. At that time, this model of a great fortune dynasty will reveal more and more flaws..."

Thinking of this, Zhao Xing couldn't help but shake his head and smile, not with pity for the Great Zhou, but with self-mockery. He didn't even know if he'd survive the reign of Emperor Wu, and now he hadn't even received a job transfer.

The Zhao family of Gucheng was a wealthy family in Nanyang County, renowned for their virtue.

Every few years, they supported the imperial institution, the "Ciyangyuan," and even sent family members to personally adopt orphans displaced by natural disasters. Zhao Xing was one such example.

The Zhao family's businesses encompassed everything from food, clothing, housing, and transportation to highly profitable businesses like machinery and forging.

As a large family, donating to other government agencies would spur suspicion of collusion and invite criticism.

But charitable giving was far less skeptical.

Zhao Xing's adopted father, Zhao Ruide, was from the Donghu branch of the family. In his early years, he served as an escort and caretaker for caravans, leading a comfortable life.

Unexpectedly, at the age of forty-five, he lost his orphan. His wife and only son fell overboard while on a boat trip. Having accumulated hidden injuries from his travels, Zhao Ruide was diagnosed by a doctor as having difficulty conceiving. So, under the guidance of his family, he adopted six-year-old Zhao Xing from the orphanage and adopted him as his son.

Originally, he was quite fond of Zhao Xing, but things had changed in recent years.

Six years after adopting his adopted son, Zhao Ruide's concubine unexpectedly gave birth to a boy!

Overjoyed, the old man immediately promoted his concubine to wife, devoting all his affection to his biological son. Over the years, he had gradually become more distant from Zhao Xing.

Looking at the Zhao family compound before him, recalling his past experiences, Zhao Xing felt a wave of emotion and pushed the door open.

Zhao Ruide was enjoying the coolness under a willow tree, fanning a napping child on a mat. Seeing Zhao Xing enter, he quickly gestured for silence and simply pointed to the kitchen, telling him to go eat. Zhao Xing didn't care that dinner hadn't started yet. He bowed and headed for the kitchen.

Ordinarily, the relationship between adoptive father and son shouldn't be this estranged, but Zhao Xing was a latecomer. He hadn't experienced the years when Zhao Ruide was most devoted to the original owner, so maintaining superficial respect was the way he felt comfortable with the relationship.

What about Zhao Ruide? He wasn't interested in Zhao Xing either. They'd even previously disagreed over Zhao Xing's employment—he wanted him to practice martial arts or go into business, but Zhao Xing insisted on joining the Ministry of Agriculture. How much money could a position as a Ministry of Agriculture earn? What future prospects did it hold?

In the end, he couldn't resist and acquiesced, but their relationship grew even more distant.

If his relationship with his adoptive father was distant, then his relationship with his second wife, Madam Cai, was even more aloof.

As soon as he entered the kitchen, Zhao Xing heard a sharp voice coming from outside the door. "Is his nose a sign of the dog? Really sharp! He came back as soon as the meat started stewing at home. Could it be that the smell of the stew has reached the Ministry of Agriculture?"

"Shh, stop talking! Zheng'er is tired from playing and just fell asleep... A few pieces of meat are nothing to sneeze at, and we can afford it."

"I don't feel bad about the meat, but he's eighteen or nineteen years old and doesn't even give the family any allowance. Who else doesn't know how to be filial?"

"Master, you raised him, and he won't listen to you in anything. He insists on joining the Ministry of Agriculture. That would be fine, but it's been almost a year, and he still hasn't been promoted. I'm afraid he'll come and compete with Zheng'er for the family position someday..."

"Are you done yet? What are you talking about? I'm not even dead yet!"

"Woo woo..."

"Oh, crying again. It's so annoying. Look, you woke Zheng'er up..."

Then came the sound of a child crying and a woman wailing. The latest novel is now available on the Six-Nine Book Forum!

"Madam Cai, Madam Cai, I've already made it clear that I won't share Zheng'er's inheritance. Why don't you believe me? I'm almost ashamed of myself."

Zhao Xing thought to himself, but his body remained honest. He quickly lifted the lid of the pot and began to eat with gusto.

Zhao Ruide had some savings and was a martial artist. Three of the four large pots on the kitchen stove were filled with meat.

The Minister of Agriculture didn't care about breakfast and dinner, and minor officials received no salary, only a small allowance.

To improve proficiency in the [Ju Yuan] technique, simply put, one must do everything possible to absorb the vital energy of heaven and earth and strengthen one's own energy and blood. First and foremost, one must eat well.

A son eats his father—it's only natural! Even if he's an adopted son!

The Sinong players were all pragmatic, brazenly pushing for something, so Zhao Xing had to be first!

The louder the crying outside, the faster Zhao Xing ate.

When the crying died down, he was full.

Seeing his progress in the Ju Yuan column had increased by another 3 points, Zhao Xing rubbed his lips and walked out of the kitchen contentedly.

With the person in question out, Madam Cai calmed down, after all, giving the master some face.

Zhao Xing had gotten used to it and bowed to them. "Greetings to my godfather and madam. I'll go back to my room and rest."

Zhao Ruide nodded gently, signaling Zhao Xing to leave quickly; he wanted some peace and quiet.

Madam Cai began to mutter again, "You always come home to eat and go to sleep, not even playing with Zheng'er for a while. Are all the Sinong Supervisors good-for-nothings..."

"..."

This really wronged Zhao Xing.

He wasn't going back to his room to actually sleep. He closed the door, lit three incense sticks, and ground a special material into ink.

Next to the desk was a wastebasket, filled with crumpled yellow paper.

What Zhao Xing needed now was to acquire a secondary profession—Talisman Maker.

"Luckily, in this era, the techniques are comprehensive, the materials are cheap, and there are many ways to obtain them. It doesn't take much effort."

Zhao Xing picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and began to draw the talisman on the yellow paper.

Perhaps it was because he had tried so many times, or perhaps it was because his vitality was increasing day by day, but this time it was unusually smooth.

As he was about to finish his stroke, his energy was activated, and a brilliant light passed from his fingertips to the pen, spreading across the yellow paper. The entire paper then glowed with a faint light, then completely absorbed by it. [You have successfully mastered the art of talisman making and created a guiding talisman.]

[You have obtained the secondary position of 'Talisman Maker']

[Basic Guiding Talisman (1/1000): Attached to the body, it accelerates the absorption of heaven and earth vital energy.]

"The Ministry of Agriculture has over 500 personnel, but fewer than five are eligible for regular positions each year. Young men from wealthy families like Li Chengfeng have ample funds. If you want to compete with them, you'll have to overtake them."

Will becoming a talisman maker bring him huge profits and help him succeed?

Clearly not. Zhao Xing believed that if he sold his talisman at this level, he would be outsold by customers and would never be able to compete with other talisman makers.

So, his goal was never to obtain the secondary position.

Taking advantage of his improved hand, Zhao Xing began to experiment with drawing a second talisman.

Soon, he acquired a second basic talisman. [You have successfully mastered the art of talisman making and crafted a Soul-Calming Talisman.]

[Soul-Calming Talisman: Calms the soul and calms the mind.]

"Done!"

Zhao Xing placed the Guiding Talisman on his abdomen and the Soul-Calming Talisman on his forehead. He lay on the bed, bent in a strange position, muttering to himself:

"Student Zhao Xing, I beg the Dameng Academy to open the door to my studies."

(End of Chapter)