Chapter 31: Zong Eighteen

[You have crafted a Straw Man Puppet (Power)]
[Proficiency in "Soldiers from Grass and Trees" +15]
[Proficiency in "Straw Man Puppet (Power)" +60]
..........
[You have crafted a Straw Man Puppet (Power)]
[Proficiency in "Soldiers from Grass and Trees" +20]
[Proficiency in "Straw Man Puppet (Power)" +80]
.........

Superior materials yield deeper insights. Compared to the withered stalks of common rice, the Vajra Bamboo contains a much clearer feedback of power, allowing Zhao Xing to grasp the intricacies of the "Powerful Straw Man Technique" at a much deeper level.

Building on this foundation, his proficiency in the spell skyrocketed. By midday, Zhao Xing had already honed it to the second-turn level.

[Straw Man Puppet (Power)]
[Proficiency: 2750/9999]
[Utility: Indestructible, possesses boundless strength.]

"Hit me, use thirty percent of your strength," Zhao Xing commanded, crossing his arms over his chest as he faced the second-turn Vajra Power-Man.

"Bang!" The golden Vajra Power-Man unleashed a punch. Zhao Xing felt as if he had been struck by a giant pendulum, sent flying backward across the field.

The Vajra Power-Man immediately dashed forward, ready to follow up with another strike.

"Stop! That’s enough, you’re already monstrous enough!"

Zhao Xing winced and called a halt. The Vajra Power-Man froze instantly. Zhao Xing no longer felt tired, only sore all over. This was how combat training was done—through real, physical experience.

He felt a bit weak and not exactly durable enough to take many hits; otherwise, he would have loved to spar properly with the construct.

"A single punch like that would be hard for a typical Agrologist’s physique to withstand. If it went all out, I reckon even a sturdy, thick-skinned martial artist would need to reach a formal rank to survive it."

You get what you pay for. Using common rice as a base for the straw man technique is, at best, good for scaring off birds. But the Vajra Power-Man? That could be a proper bodyguard.

Admittedly, the Vajra Power-Man lacked technique, relying only on simple punches and kicks. A ranked martial artist could easily toy with it, but against these minor Agrologist officials, it should be more than sufficient.

"The numbers are just about right now. Let’s see who is blind enough to come and provoke me."

***

Zhao Xing stepped out of the bamboo grove and into the field, plucking a few Green Vine Fruits from the creepers to snack on. The second-tier low-grade Green Vines had matured, covered in yellow, thumb-sized fruits. The taste was mediocre, but they were great for filling one's stomach. Zhao Xing wasn't picky; practicality was always his first priority.

"Now, only the aquatic 'Fragrant Lotus' remains, and it’s still more than half unripe," Zhao Xing observed, peering into the muddy pit. Because his spiritual energy was primarily funneled into the Vajra Bamboo, only two of the Fragrant Lotuses had matured; the remaining eighteen were still growing.

"I wonder how the others are doing with their crops. My 'Comprehensive Earth Pulse' only covered the eastern half of the planting area; the west was completely ignored."

If Huang Tao were to hear this, he would likely cough up blood. Was that really just "covering" them?

"The quota for the 'Grade A Superior' is limited. If I can suppress the likes of Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze to mere 'Grade A', then with the ebb and flow of our standings, my chances of being appointed as an official will be much greater."

"On the third night, I'll sneak over and kill off some of their plants; that should do it. As for the people on the west side, I’ll leave them be."

With his mind made up, Zhao Xing decided to take a rest and wait until nightfall to begin his operations. But unexpectedly, an uninvited guest arrived.

"You lot, go over to Brother Chengfeng’s area and swap territories with me." Zong Shichang approached from the west, stopping near the edge of Zhao Xing’s cloud cover.

"Brother Zong, we have already been planting here, and the crops are nearly ripe. This is hardly appropriate," one person protested, unwilling to move.

"I’m not asking for a free swap. Go to my manor afterward and collect your payment," Zong Shichang said dismissively.

"I’ll swap!" The first person’s face lit up, and without another word, he pulled up his seeds and left.

"What about you lot? Are you swapping or not?" Seeing their hesitation, Zong Shichang grew impatient. "If you dig them up yourselves, you might not cause too much damage. If I have to help you dig, then all your previous efforts will be for nothing."

"We’ll swap." Under the mix of threats and enticements, Zong Shichang quickly completed the relocation.

Such a commotion naturally caught Zhao Xing’s attention.

"Zong Shichang? Why did he swap over here? Is he coming for me?" Zhao Xing watched the scene unfold. Unlike Li Chengfeng, who was known for his gentlemanly conduct, Zong Shichang’s reputation was one of arrogance. To put it kindly, he was impulsive. To put it bluntly, he was overbearing and disregarded the feelings of others. However, he wasn't purely chaotic; he was willing to spend money. Usually, he would pave the way with gold, and only when that failed would he resort to force.

"His father, Zong Heng, is one of the vice-presidents of the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce. He doesn't look down on ordinary people; he simply doesn't see them at all," Zhao Xing recalled the rumors about Zong Shichang.

The most famous story was the time Zong Shichang was playing a game of 'grass-fighting' (a local folk game) in Nanyang County. When the young master lost and grew furious, he punched his opponent directly in the face.

As fate would have it, a bailiff happened to be passing by and moved to arrest him. Zong Shichang simply offered the victim thirty taels per punch. The man jumped up from the ground, satisfied, and chased the bailiff away. In the end, Zong Shichang delivered eighteen punches to vent his anger, earning him the nickname 'Zong Eighteen.'

"Brother Zhao! May we have a word?"

Sure enough, once Zong Shichang settled in, he walked straight toward Zhao Xing. Seeing him standing at the edge of the cloud’s shadow and speaking with reasonable courtesy, Zhao Xing walked over.

"Oh, it's Brother Zong. What advice do you have for me?"

As soon as Zhao Xing finished, he noticed Zong Shichang glance behind him, and then, for no apparent reason, Zong Shichang grew... excited?

"So, Brother Zhao shares the same intention! I was just hoping to spar with you!" Zong Shichang declared bluntly.

*Wait, wait, is that what you meant by 'advice'? Your train of thought is truly bizarre.*

Zhao Xing couldn't be bothered to explain; explaining now would look like cowardice. So he replied straightforwardly: "Lay out the terms. How do you want to play?"

"Straightforward!" Zong Shichang found Zhao Xing much more agreeable. "Let's have a duel. No restrictions. Any spell can be used. Are you willing?"

"If I hurt you, you can choose any spiritual elixir below the third tier, and I’ll have it delivered to your manor afterward."

*Are you just looking for a sparring partner?* Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow. Zong Shichang’s reputation for arrogance was no exaggeration. Others were fighting for the assessment, but he was purely looking for a fight.

"No."

"No?" Zong Shichang’s expression turned cold, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"If I win, you have to pay the same price."

Zong Shichang was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "Win against me? Hahaha, then it's settled! Watch this!"

He pointed a finger, and the clouds above his head turned pitch black, with lightning flickering within. He swiftly completed the steps for 'Cloud Formation' and 'Thunder Summoning.'

Looking at his starting stance, Zhao Xing knew his third step would be 'Lightning Attraction.' Lightning Attraction was an intermediate spell; Zong Shichang certainly had some skills to back up his aggressive nature.

Zhao Xing frowned and retreated behind his straw men.

"Beat him down. That's right, all twenty of you, go together."