Chapter 14: Moving Clouds in the Palm, Thunder Within Three Feet
Zhao Xing was pleased, but Madame Cai wasn’t.
She wanted to save the meat for later, but since it was already in the pot, it was difficult to take it out again. So, she decided to add more, lest Zheng’er wouldn’t be full. The child had started training, and his nutrition needed to keep up.
"Eat, eat, eat! Let's see if it doesn't stuff you, you mud-legged brat." Madame Cai glared viciously at the pot, hammering the cutting board as if that piece of meat were Zhao Xing himself.
The noise from the kitchen grew louder, but no one paid attention.
Zhao Ruide was in the courtyard, training Zhao Zheng in martial arts.
He was standing in a firm stance, who knows how long, unmoving like a pine tree.
Though nearing sixty, his breathing remained long and steady, his qi and blood like mercury, and the density of his vital energy far surpassed Zhao Xing’s.
“Sitting Mountain Technique, standing as still as a mountain—this technique barely counts as mid-third grade martial arts foundation, but he’s trained it to an upper-grade feeling. It seems that as long as one grinds away long enough, even minor techniques can yield great power,” Zhao Xing thought to himself.
Whether martial arts or spells, breaking through established grades and gaining new insights was possible, without limits.
Of course, in the current version, such instances were rare. First, because there were abundant ways to acquire spells and martial arts, once someone reached 'Nine Turns' (proficiency maxed out), they would usually move on to something more advanced. Second, the world's rules imposed limits—this kind of breakthrough would become more common only in a revival version.
Zhao Ruide’s stance remained firm, his posture straight, his breathing drawing in and exhaling qi. Meanwhile, Zhao Zheng stood lazily by, shifting his feet and twisting his waist, his mind clearly elsewhere.
The moment Zhao Xing returned, Zhao Zheng’s eyes lit up, as if he had finally found an excuse to avoid training. "Big brother’s back! Big brother! Father, you two chat, I’ll go get towels for you!"
That little rascal wasn’t sincerely fond of Zhao Xing; he just wanted to avoid training! Right now, even if a dog came by, he'd call it "big brother." This kid was cunning!
Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Zheng bolted off.
“Get back here! Who gave you permission to move?” Zhao Ruide barked.
Zhao Zheng just giggled as he ran off, completely ignoring his father’s words.
Zhao Xing couldn’t help but laugh. Martial arts training with a father teaching his son was rare, as most fathers couldn’t bear to be harsh. What’s more, Zhao Ruide was an old man doting on a son born late in life, and at most, he would scold a little. How was that supposed to lead to any progress?
"Zhao Zheng, come here."
“Huh? Big brother...” Zhao Zheng hesitated, standing in place.
“One, two~~”
“Coming, coming!” Zhao Zheng immediately ran over, startled.
“Father hasn’t called the end yet. What are you running for? Keep standing!”
Zhao Zheng’s face instantly fell, his brows drooping, standing reluctantly next to Zhao Ruide.
“Knees bent, chest out, hands in position!” Zhao Xing kicked Zhao Zheng’s legs into place without hesitation.
“I’m standing properly, big brother! I’m standing properly!” Zhao Zheng dared not get angry, putting on a flattering smile.
Zhao Ruide pretended not to see his youngest son's cowardly behavior.
But it wasn’t entirely Zhao Zheng’s fault.
With a doting mother and father, even if he was mischievous, no one truly punished him. Only this big brother was different—he would genuinely hit, and it hurt wherever he struck.
If Zhao Zheng complained to his father, his father would merely say a few words.
If he complained to his mother, she wouldn’t even win the argument!
Though there was no blood relation, there was still a strange sense of suppression from bloodline.
As a result, Zhao Zheng turned meek as a quail whenever he saw Zhao Xing.
Dinner was served in the courtyard. Zhao Ruide wasn’t one for formality, and Madame Cai, having been a songstress, also didn’t care for such trifles. The courtyard was cool, so they ate there.
With Zhao Xing present, Zhao Zheng ate more properly, but after a while, he couldn’t sit still. “Mother, I’m hot.”
Though he spoke to Madame Cai, his eyes were gleaming as he looked toward his elder brother.
“Mother will fan you.” Madame Cai immediately put down her chopsticks to fetch a fan.
“No need for that.” Zhao Xing pointed upward, and a cloud appeared overhead, conveniently blocking the setting sun. At the same time, a cool breeze swept through, and Zhao Zheng’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Even Zhao Ruide was a bit surprised. “You can already summon wind? And that cloud is much larger now.”
Zhao Xing nodded, “I’ve made some progress recently.”
It was more than just “some progress.” Zhao Xing’s mastery of Moving Clouds had already exceeded 5,000 proficiency points. In technical terms, it was at five turns, covering a range of five kilometers.
Zhao Ruide, being experienced, clearly sensed the progress in his foster son’s spellcasting. Even Zhao Xing’s demeanor had subtly shifted—calmer, more composed.
“Will you be able to secure an official position this year?”
Zhao Xing put down his bowl and chopsticks, replying, “There’s an 80% chance.”
“What’s lacking in the remaining 20%?”
Zhao Xing considered, “A good teacher, and a sponsor.”
Although Xue Wenzhong had agreed to take him as a disciple, he had yet to officially acknowledge him in public. How much the old Agricultural Bureau director would recommend him was still unknown, and even if the old director vouched for him, it might not be enough.
The primary criteria for gaining an official position was through assessment, but sponsorship carried some weight, especially in cases where multiple candidates had similar or near-identical scores.
Zhao Ruide nodded, not pressing further.
In the following days, Zhao Xing noticed that the household meals had suddenly improved, with more dishes that nourished vitality.
At the Agricultural Bureau, at the break of dawn, Zhao Xing arrived at Xue Wenzhong’s residence in the Willow and Locust Courtyard.
“Boom! Boom!”
A small cloud, about three meters wide, hovered five meters above Zhao Xing’s head.
Thunder rumbled continuously, the flashes of lightning casting shadows across Zhao Xing’s face.
Moments later, the cloud dispersed.
Zhao Xing checked his status panel.
[Thunder Calling: Basic Spell]
[Progress: (3005/9999)]
[Effect: Can summon thunder from within a cloud after using Moving Clouds.]
“Thunder Calling has already reached three turns. Its power is increasing rapidly. Old Director Xue really is a treasure of a mentor,” Zhao Xing couldn’t help but marvel.
He had just learned Thunder Calling a few days ago, and it was already at three turns.
Such rapid progress was not only due to the Dao Embryo Pill and his accumulated luck but also thanks to Xue Wenzhong’s personal guidance.
For instance, Xue had just instructed him to keep Moving Clouds within a range of three meters and then cast Thunder Calling. This method required great control, but the training effect was significant.
In other words, the proficiency gain was considerable!
“Moving Clouds in the palm, thunder within three feet—this is something I came up with myself.” Xue Wenzhong held out his hand, and a cloud appeared, with lightning coiling within it.
“The court spreads myriad spells for all to learn, but finding the best, the optimal, and the most suitable casting method—that’s the art.”
“Take time to reflect. Practice in the backyard this morning. I’ll check on you periodically. I heard you received top marks in the Xiaoshu exam recently, but don’t get complacent. You still have a long way to go compared to the top students in other academies. The thirty students on the top rank are all stronger than you.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind,” Zhao Xing responded with a bow.
Posts
Comments
Post a Comment