Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 645 - 7: Could Zhao Xing Become the Leader of Three Factions? (15,000)_2

Chapter 645: Chapter 7: Could Zhao Xing Become the Leader of Three Factions? (15,000)_2

"However, this is only a fifth rank Shang Heng Instrument, which can only test the realm and bloodline level,"

"It can’t directly test the skill level."

Zhao Xing flipped through the information about the Shadow Tiger.

The information was even more detailed.

[Inherent Ability: Shadow Fury]

[Effect: Shadow Tiger activates the power of its bloodline, boosting its strength, speed, and defense by an additional fifty percent, lasting for two hours.]

[Secret Technique: Shadow Assault (Intermediate Tier 5)]

[Effect: After training, the Shadow Tiger can skillfully utilize its natural talents to conceal its aura, transform into a shadow, and attack from behind the enemy.]

[Secret Technique: Shadow Clone (Intermediate Tier 6)]

[Effect: After training, the Shadow Tiger can skillfully utilize its natural talents during attacks when its whole body’s inherent secret runes will create six shadow clones, which have no attacking power but can serve to confuse the enemy.]

"It’s really rare, I’ve never seen a tiger capable of Escape Technique," Ling Ruoxue, who was beside Cao Jiang, looked at the information, somewhat excited, "Mr. Zhao, have you seen it in the military?"

"No," Zhao Xing said with a smile as he put the information back.

Ji Zixuan glanced at Ling Ruoxue, her eyes slightly narrowed, then relaxed again.

This woman is beautiful, but probably not Zhao Xing’s type.

"Mr. Cao, please check carefully," Zhao Xing admonished, "we need to make sure that the creatures’ realms and the levels of their skills match the information on arrival."

"Don’t worry, sir," Cao Jiang nodded, "I will rigorously check each one three times to ensure there are no errors before I bring them off the ship."

Only upon confirming their condition before arrival and recording it again after sending them back could the Twin Dragon Horse Supervisors count it as fulfilling the contract.

After glancing a few more times, Zhao Xing disembarked, as there were no beasts worth further attention.

It was their first collaboration and the Daoist Academy wouldn’t possibly send any formidable beasts to the Dragon Horse Guard for fostering.

Fifty million might seem a lot, but this batch included a hundred students, and a Beast Tamer has more than one beast.

During their stay at the Dragon Horse Guard, they even had to improve the beasts’ levels, so when averaged, there wasn’t much profit.

However, Zhao Xing hadn’t planned to make much from this first batch, focusing instead on building a reputation.

In the military, he wasn’t lacking in low to medium-tier orders; with just the Xuanjia Army, Zhao Xing didn’t have to worry about his achievements over the past few years.

But the area of the Daoist Academy was a blank slate.

"Do you have time to stay at the Dragon Horse Guard next?" Zhao Xing asked.

"Yes, my master has given me two months," Ji Zixuan said; she was now a vassal of Princess You Ruo.

"Okay, then you’ll stay at the Justice Department. I will arrange training for you," Zhao Xing said.

"Thank you, senior brother," Ji Zixuan’s eyes flickered with excitement.

"Gather the students from the Daoist Academy; I want to say a few words."

"Alright."

Zhao Xing walked in front of the hundred Daoist Academy students lined up in formation.

The students from the headquarters of Bishui Daoist School were of high quality; seeing Zhao Xing approaching, they stopped their discussions.

"I am Zhao Xing, the Twin Dragon Horse Supervisory Director and the main person responsible for your beasts’ training."

"You are here to do only one thing: bring your beasts to the training site, and after training, bring them back to your residences."

"My methods of beast training are not open to question or opposition."

"Let me be upfront, this training process will be somewhat painful. It’s also clearly stated in the contracts from the Daoist Academy that a certain number of casualties among the beasts is permissible."

"If anyone is too fond of their beasts and can’t bear it, you may apply to withdraw now, and I will inform the Daoist Academy to send someone else."

Having said this, Zhao Xing quietly waited for the students to make their choices.

He didn’t want to have someone crying and wanting to quit halfway through the training.

With over two thousand years of internal peace in Great Zhou, most of these students had likely never seen blood.

The very reason they called the beasts they trained pets, not battle beasts, is that many tamers, even after graduation, would not enter the battlefield.

Most would become tamers for the royal family and nobility, mainly driving strange beasts for ceremonial performances during rituals.

For these powerful and noble families, with their frequent ritual activities, long lifespans, large families, and many ancestral tablets, monthly rituals are the norm. Wei Xuancheng’s later policy of demolition and temple abandonment was aimed at curbing this kind of extravagant custom.

The Beast Tamers graduating towards the Chenghua Bureau within the Dragon Horse Guard were also heading in this direction. The Chenghua Bureau’s job was to employ gentle pet-like creatures for ceremonial performances and similar activities.

It’s hard to say which of the two paths could lead to a better life; entering the Chenghua Bureau was considered holding an official position, although the pay was low. Working under the nobility without an official position could be more lucrative.

Of course, tamers related to the royal family usually held official positions and were well-paid, making it an ideal job for tamers who disliked battle and killing.

There was also a third option: training battle-capable beasts to join the military or participate in events like the All Beasts Championship, an official competition.

"No one is withdrawing? Good," Zhao Xing waited a moment, saw no one leaving, and then turned to Mr. Tao, "Mr. Tao, please take them for lodging at the inn."

"Yes."

...

The students from Bishui Daoist School started leading their pets onto the Flying Boat the next day, heading for the Wilderness Thunder Pool.

Once at the location, the beasts were taken inside while the students waited in a venue a few miles away.

Shang Ziyan and Su Minghui had just arrived at the venue when they heard a classmate complaining.

"Marquis Yuan Rang is really cold-hearted. I just asked what kind of training my pet would undergo, and he completely ignored me."