Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 94 - 78: Lock the bamboo horse, break the War Soul, get the first incense!_3

Chapter 94: Chapter 78: Lock the bamboo horse, break the War Soul, get the first incense!_3

Even Du Jiaojiao gave up. Naturally, no one else dared to compete in the square.

Everyone retreated a bit, waiting for Zhao Xing, the newly crowned strongest, to speak.

...

Zhao Xing hadn’t spoken, and the others didn’t dare to ask.

The winner took all; now if he said to take incense sticks, he could take them. As long as he waited, the others could only wait with him.

It wasn’t just the opponents; even "his own people," Uncle Hu, Uncle Cang, and Yuan Bo were intimidated and didn’t dare to approach.

It was still Mr. Zong who, unable to contain himself, asked, "Zhao Sanjia, what do you plan to do with ten incense sticks? If you don’t take them, no one will dare to take them."

Zhao Xing thought for a moment, "I and Shen Zhui will take first and second. The rest, you can distribute as you see fit."

At sunrise, we had to descend the mountain. Taking more incense sticks wouldn’t serve much purpose.

Zong Shichang had also used up his silver notes, and Zhao Xing felt that there was no point in haggling with him over this, considering they had some friendship.

"Okay, then I’ll announce it for you?"

"Yes."

Zong Shichang seized the opportunity to show off, immediately putting on a grand act.

Standing with his hands behind his back in what he thought was a dashing pose, he strode to the incense and spread the word far and wide with a gust of wind.

"Worship incense. Zhao and I will take eight sticks. The remaining two sticks, those capable may take them!"

After speaking, Zong Shichang used another gust to gather eight incense sticks into his arms.

The rest dared not voice their anger.

While others didn’t dare say anything, Du Jiaojiao’s side was displeased. Lu Qian shouted at Zong Shichang, "Zong Shiba, it’s not even your accomplishment! Why are you acting so high and mighty?"

Unexpectedly, Zong Shichang ran over with a grin, "How could I forget about you all? Here, I got three incense sticks for you. No need to hop around."

Seeing this, Lu Qian sarcastically said, "Oh, how kind of you to remember Jiaojiao and me? Or are you doing this for Qing’er?"

Zong Shichang, his true intentions revealed, blushed and sneaked a glance at Liu Muqing.

Du Jiaojiao glanced at Lu Qian and then cupped her hands towards Zong Shichang, "Thank you, Mr. Zong. What does Zhao Xing say about the temple entry order?"

Zong Shichang replied, "Naturally, he will take the first incense. The second stick goes to Shen Zhui, the martial artist who pursued Gu Feng earlier."

"And after that?" Lu Qian asked.

"I’ll arrange it."

"So, what’s your plan?"

"I want Miss Liu to go third."

"Ha! Zong Shichang, you really do have ulterior motives. Can’t deny it’s all for Qing’er!"

"..."

....

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

His iron ruler and body had bloodstains, though they weren’t his.

"Brother Shen, are you okay?"

Shen Zhui untied the bow from his back, "I fulfilled my promise and avenged you for that arrow."

For an archer, their bow was their life. With Gu Feng’s longbow seized by Shen Zhui, even if Gu Feng wasn’t dead, he wasn’t far from it.

"Nice bow, Brother Shen, you are impressive."

Zhao Xing was pleased. He had only mentioned that Gu Feng’s sneaky arrow wounded him earlier and asked Shen Zhui to delay Gu Feng.

He hadn’t expected Shen Zhui to be so thorough, even taking Gu Feng’s bow.

For an archer to lose their bow, they were either dead or crippled.

Shen Zhui slung the bow back on his shoulder, "What’s the result of the incense contest? Has it begun?"

Zhao Xing smiled, "It’s over. We’re just waiting for you to enter the temple."

"What? Over already?"

In some surprise, Shen Zhui took the incense stick Zhao Xing handed to him.

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

Shen Zhui shook his head, "No, I have already broken my promise and didn’t help much. The first incense should be yours."

Back at Chen Shijie’s mansion, Zhao Xing had been willing to share his pears with Shen Zhui, and Shen Zhui had never forgotten it. He felt he owed Zhao Xing and wasn’t about to take the first incense.

"Alright, then I’ll go in first. You’re second."

Zhao Xing, the Mountain Cat, and Shen Zhui, the two men and the beast, were all formidable. With the temple entry order decided, no one dared to oppose.

After descending the Heavenly Altar, the first eight 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 remaining two sticks were taken by Hu Yang and Cao Qiushui.

As for the rest, they could only compete for the second round of incense.

.....

Inside the temple.

"Minister of Agriculture Officer Zhao Xing, requesting the True Monarch’s divine manifestation."

Whoosh~

Smoke swirled around, and the surroundings darkened. It seemed that a giant Yin God appeared before Zhao Xing.

"You request this monarch’s manifestation, what is it that you seek?"

Zhao Xing cupped his hands, "I seek a superior gift of Spiritual Beauty from the True Monarch."

"Since you’ve earned the first incense, you are entitled to this opportunity. This monarch will send you there. Whether you can grasp it depends on you."

"Thank you, True Monarch."

Another gust of smoke enveloped him, the Mountain Cat, and other items, and Zhao Xing felt he was no longer in the same place.

As he looked around, he found himself standing at the edge of a cliff.

"Meow~" The Mountain Cat cried, its eyes filled with confusion. How did they suddenly appear here?

"Is the superior Spiritual Beauty here?" Zhao Xing was also puzzled. He hadn’t felt an "epiphany."

Looking around, he felt a familiar sensation.

"This place... isn’t it where Yang Junxiong was earlier?"

At that time, Zhao Xing had been farming at the foot of the mountain and had seen Yang Junxiong riding a bamboo horse and leaping through the ravine.

Zhao Xing realized he had arrived at the same location.

"Could it be that Yang Junxiong was also searching for the superior Spiritual Beauty?"

Requesting the True Monarch for superior Spiritual Beauty didn’t mean it would be directly handed to you. Sometimes, they would only tell you the location or the method to obtain it.

Zhao Xing had found the Fortune Gold Cup because he discovered the place first and reached the superior Spiritual Beauty, though he couldn’t obtain it.

The fifth incense stick revealed the method to acquire it, provided they passed the test.

"Yang Junxiong searched for two nights and didn’t succeed?"

"It seems getting this superior Spiritual Beauty is going to be tough," Zhao Xing thought.

In a few hours, they all had to leave the mountain.

He had no chance to seek further guidance.

"Yang Junxiong was leaping around the ravine on this bamboo horse," Zhao Xing mounted the bamboo horse, "I’ll try it too."

The bamboo horse could help a person soar through the air. Although it couldn’t sustain long flights, it could leap quite a distance.

Even though it had lost its grade, its auxiliary function remained; it just lacked the War Soul.

"Giddy up!" Zhao Xing squeezed his legs, and the bamboo horse immediately generated wind beneath its feet, running towards the cliff. As the bamboo horse leaped, Zhao Xing’s body soared into the air.