Shennong Dao Master
Chapter 96 - 79: Gathering Spiritual Beauty in the Clouds, Forget Sorrow Stele Below the Mountain (Three updates of fifteen thousand words each!)_2

Chapter 96: Chapter 79: Gathering Spiritual Beauty in the Clouds, Forget Sorrow Stele Below the Mountain (Three updates of fifteen thousand words each!)_2

Clip-clop, clip-clop~

The bamboo horse moved slowly forward, while Zhao Xing completely absorbed the Fortune Spiritual Treasure.

Previously, in the cave of the Mountain Cat, only half a cup of the Fortune Gold Cup had been discovered.

This time, however, it was a whole, brimming cup!

After absorbing this portion of the Fortune Spiritual Treasure, Zhao Xing’s fortune level finally underwent a change.

From Yi Two, it became Yi Three!

"It’s really rare, my fortune level has actually reached Yi Three," Zhao Xing remarked somewhat emotionally.

It was very difficult to advance in fortune level, and one might reach the fifth rank of cultivation but still possess only a Yi Three fortune level.

If one were in the court, it would be somewhat better, but if one were in the wilderness, they might only have a Yi Three fortune level even with three or four ranks of cultivation.

Especially after the fall of the Fortune Dynasty, the avenues for acquiring it had become tougher.

"Ding! Ding!"

Suddenly, the sound of a bell echoed through the mountains.

All the officials looked up, their faces filled with reluctance.

"It’s time to descend the mountain," Zhao Xing glanced at the time, knowing that this was the divine temple reminding the officials to descend.

They only had these three days and nights to compete.

No matter whether they had found something or not, when the time was up, they had to go down.

"This time the gains have been plentiful; I don’t know if I’ll be startled when I get out, but I guess Old Chen and the teacher will be quite surprised," Zhao Xing leaped onto his horse, and in the blink of an eye, he shot out more than ten meters.

...

One after another, the officials began descending the mountain, but Lu Qian was anxiously searching for something.

Finally, she found Zong Shichang in a pavilion.

"Zong Shiba, have you seen Zhao Xing?" asked Lu Qian.

"No, what happened?" Zong Shichang asked in confusion, "Did something happen?"

But Lu Qian refused to say anything and, after scanning the area without seeing anyone, left with Du Jiaojiao and Liu Muqing.

"Very strange," Zong Shichang muttered to himself, "I wonder what Zhao Sanjia did to upset her."

...

Down the mountain at Earth Altar Square.

It was still dark, but many officials and family heads had already been waiting there.

Upon hearing the bell from the mountain, they knew that the officials’ ascent of Spirit Mountain was about to end.

Xue Wenzhong looked out from the viewing area, concern evident in his eyes.

Chen Shijie sought to reassure him: "Mr. Xue, there’s no need to worry too much. Although that boy is only at Gathering Essence Fourth Rank, he is clever. Even if he didn’t obtain anything, he should have no problem preserving his life. Please, sit down and have some tea."

Hearing this, Xue Wenzhong sat down without reaching for a tea cup, and let out a sigh, "I’m just afraid he’s too clever for his own good. What if he disregarded advice and went up the mountain on the first day..."

Xue Wenzhong could tell that Zhao Xing truly had a stubborn pride and didn’t follow rules rigidly. Despite repeated admonitions to accumulate enough Grassmen before ascending the mountain, Xue Wenzhong couldn’t rest easy a single day without seeing him.

He dreaded hearing any bad news.

Chen Shijie spoke calmly: "It won’t happen, I have confidence in him. Just wait, the young fellow might just give us a pleasant surprise."

"A surprise is not necessary, I just wish for him to return safely," Xue Wenzhong said.

...

As it was the third day since the Mountain Opening on the autumnal equinox, the excitement had faded, and fewer common folk came.

Nevertheless, Zhao Ruide was there with his wife and children, waiting in the darkness at the base of the mountain.

"Father, how much longer before brother comes out?"

Zhao Ruide said, "Soon, the Mao Hour bell rings, and he must descend the mountain before the Chen hour."

In his youth, he also participated in the search for Spiritual Beauty, but Zhao Ruide had only managed to find a low-grade one before descending the mountain, yet he knew the rules.

When the time came, the living would show up, and the dead would be seen.

"Mother, don’t sleep anymore, big brother will be coming down soon."

"Hmm, Zheng’er, don’t make noise, let mother sleep a bit more..." Mrs. Cai had gotten up early and now, overwhelmed with sleep, found a stool in the viewing area and dozed off again.

....

In the viewing area, a temporary tent was set up, and within one of the larger tents, a corpulent middle-aged man walked back and forth restlessly.

"Master, please stop pacing, you’re making me nervous," said a woman as she threw off her covers and got out of bed. "Chang’er will be alright."

Zong Yonglong sighed, "How can I be at ease without seeing Chang’er?"

He had been standing guard here for three days.

Zong Yonglong would not normally have been so worried, but to his dismay, one of the four good men he had hired to protect his son died on the very first day!

As a result, Zong Yonglong had not slept well these past few days, always fearing the worst.

Fortunately, in the following two days, he hadn’t seen Zong Shichang’s body appear, but now, with the end approaching, he once again felt uneasy.

....

"It’s ending," two fishermen carrying burdens arrived early in the morning, casually watching the fish in their buckets. "It’s uncertain which of these fish will survive and which will be able to soar to the heavens."

"God bless," another fisherman, with yellowed teeth, stirred the water in the bucket with his fingers, "I hope these fish can live well, so that we can sell them for a good price."

"Keep an eye on them, not just the fish, but also those officials."

"Understood, understood."

...

Qin Feng and his three companions walked down the mountain path, dejected.

This ascent had been a total loss for them.

Even though they had acquired Spiritual Beauty several times, it was snatched away every time, and they had also lost some money.

"It’s all that damn Zhao Xing’s fault!" Qin Feng said bitterly, "If it wasn’t for him, we might have already made a breakthrough."

"And that Zhou Gang and Fang Jie are detestable too!"

If they had never encountered any Spiritual Beauty from start to finish, they might have accepted their fate. But having obtained it after so much effort, only to see it taken by someone else, was truly unbearable.

"Senior Brother Qin, what are you talking about?" Seventh Brother asked, looking back at Qin Feng in confusion, "Who is Zhao Xing? Zhao Xing is who?"