Chapter 823: Chapter 34: The End of Year 34 of the Jingxin Calendar, Return to the Dream Palace!
"The means to obscure the heavenly secrets are already in place."
"Primarily purchase treasures aimed against priests."
Zhao Xing browsed the arsenal in Jiujiang Cave Heaven.
"If I can defend against the priest’s divine office, I’ll at least have no problem running from the rest of the third-rank."
The priest profession, with its myriad methods.
They can fly in the sky, escape through the earth, attack from afar, close in for combat, and even dance and sing.
Like martial artists, if Zhao Xing uses earth escape, with clones to impede vision, it’s relatively easy to flee.
Facing the priest, the opponent can constantly lock onto the soul, which is extremely troublesome.
"All of this one billion in liquid assets should be used to buy disposable items, specifically treasures against priests," Zhao Xing mused.
Of course, when purchasing, he wouldn’t say they’re specifically to counter priests; instead, he would mention witches, or outer demons, or evil techniques.
...
On the fifth of June, the high-ranking battles in the Southern Barbarian battlefield were growing fiercer.
After crossing Yin You Mountain, all four Royal Courts began to fall back, starting to block the advance of the Great Zhou army toward the Holy Mountain.
By the tenth of June, the Divine Thunder Army, Tiger Flood Dragon Army, and Xuanjia Army led by Marquis Tian Wu, Marquis Mingwei, and Marquis Mingwu suffered heavy casualties, with all three Marquises dying in battle.
On the fifteenth of June, King Lingshuang Pei Dingshan perished in battle at the "Hundred Waters River."
The first Sealing King casualty appeared.
The offensive of the Great Zhou was momentarily halted.
The most mysterious Nine Nether Army of the Southern Barbarians appeared in the Great Zhou’s sights for the first time.
...
"Xiang Kui has also died." Zhao Xing looked at the military report and couldn’t help but shake his head; this person was the main general of the Xuanjia Army.
"The main general of the Tiger Flood Dragon Army has also died, succeeded by Ding Long."
"Since the outbreak of the high-ranking battle, the number of fallen Marquises has reached sixty-seven."
"Now even King Lingshuang has died."
"With so many main generals dead, those succeeding them are gradually replaced by Prince Liang’s secretly nurtured people," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "This isn’t a war; they’re clearly using the Southern Barbarians to eliminate dissidents."
It seems to be a heated conflict with quick advancements; the Holy Mountain of the Southern Barbarians is even visible. However, on the Great Zhou side, casualties are continuously mounting.
"I wonder if Pei Yuanchang has participated in the war," Zhao Xing pondered.
Pei Yuanchang is the legitimate grandson of King Lingshuang, whom he met while fishing at the Extreme Night Sea.
"His Sealing King grandfather has died in this battle; the days ahead will likely be difficult."
Zhao Xing organized the intelligence, continually summarizing useful information.
"Before long, Prince Liang will attribute the failures of the war to shortages in military supplies, constantly seeking all kinds of high-grade strategic materials from the court, with the Transportation Department bearing the brunt."
"However, after my transfer is complete, I will only be assigned to the East Sea Transportation Department in Pinghai State, so it’s not much of an issue."
Zhao Xing collected the intelligence and continued his cultivation.
...
On the sixteenth of July, Zhao Xing completed his professional transfer.
But Liu Tianning gave him six months of rest.
In other words, this transfer order won’t officially take effect for another six months.
Before then, Zhao Xing still has a choice: leave, or stay in Pinghai State.
"Old Liu really is afraid I’ll die," Zhao Xing thought while putting away the two transfer orders.
"It seems that January of Jingxin Calendar 35th year is the final dividing line."
"If you don’t leave by then, you won’t be able to leave at all."
Zhao Xing left the Prefecture City and came to the highest mountain in Chongming Prefecture—Wangcang Mountain.
At the same time, a clone in the Star Palace was checking the records of the Military Realm.
He was observing and calculating the Grand Circulation operation of the Great Zhou in Pinghai State!
"The Military Realm is composed of small world pocket worlds, like beads strung together by the Military Realm passage lines of the Great Zhou, rotating around the Xuanhuang Realm."
"There are stronger and weaker periods, and the passages also have strong and weak times. When the weakest, the corresponding Military Realm passage shrinks, preventing large-scale military mobilization. At that time, there are only seven entrances left in Pinghai State’s Military Realm."
"Prince Liang needs only to seize these seven entrances to completely blockade Pinghai State inside and out."
"He must grasp this timing for the greatest chance of a successful rebellion, leaving time to deal with his opponents in Pinghai State; otherwise, he’d end up as a wandering bandit, losing all legitimacy for rebellion, and even the Yin God would not aid him."
Zhao Xing knew which seven entrances, but this life is different from the previous one; they might change. Moreover, knowing the exact time is a great help to him.
"By confirming the time and place, Prince Liang’s main army can only go to these few places, allowing me to avoid large-scale high-grade armies." Zhao Xing continually calculated.
He intended to gain merit, not to die, so if he wasn’t confident, he’d rather not go.
He continued calculating, persisting until the twenty-sixth of September.
Combining knowledge from his past life, Zhao Xing finally derived an accurate result.
"Jingxin Calendar 35th year, February 2nd, the seven Cave Heaven entrances will become seven critical passages for rapid troop deployment," Zhao Xing recalculated repeatedly.
"I’m just unsure if the Fate Officers’ calculations align with mine, and what exactly King Heavenly Destiny is up to, he still hasn’t responded to my messages."
It was precisely at this time that King Heavenly Destiny disappeared.
Being able to acquire more helpful information from King Heavenly Destiny would be an additional advantage.
Without revealing the full map perspective, he could at least open half of it.
"Prince Liang used to be the head of the Fate Officers and even mastered the Creation Plate; King Heavenly Destiny is probably checking for secret doors, which indeed takes some time."
After his calculations, Zhao Xing returned to the Jiujiang Cave Heaven in Chongming Prefecture.
This time, he entered the [Dojo].
Not for fighting or cultivation, but to check the rankings.
"The final record on the Dojo rankings," Zhao Xing thought to himself, "the rankings can reveal a lot of information about experts."
"Once the Earth Mirror is fickle, it won’t be able to quickly access useful information."
Not only the Earth Mirror, but also the rapid passage channels of various Daoist Academies will lose their functionality, either destroyed or taken over by Prince Liang.
It took an entire month for Zhao Xing to record enough intelligence in the Military Realm before returning to Chongming Prefecture.
He once again came to the secret manor in Dongyang County.
"It’s less than four months before the calculated event."
"I should go find the fate bird."
"Otherwise, even if it gains something beneficial, I won’t have time to make use of it."
"I hope it can make one more move against the rules before Jingxin Calendar 35th year."
"If you count the short time, it can act once more before Hongxin Calendar 35th year arrives."
"If you go by the long five-year estimate, that would be the end of Jingxin Calendar 37th year, and by then, the war would be almost over, and it would be completely useless?"
"I must push the fate bird, it can’t just waste time like this."
Zhao Xing mirrored himself back into the Grotto Heaven of Chongming Prefecture.
He entered the [Dojo] this time.
Not for fighting or cultivation, but to check the ranking.
"The last record for the Dojo rankings," Zhao Xing thought, "The Earth Mirror won’t be fast enough to check useful information later."
Not just the Earth Mirror, but all the rapid passage channels in the Daoist Academy will lose their usefulness, either destroyed by Prince Liang or taken over by him.
...
After spending an entire month in the Military Realm recording enough intelligence, Zhao Xing returned to Chongming Prefecture.
"Only less than four months until the calculated event left," Zhao Xing mused as he arrived again at the secret manor in Dongyang County.
"I should go find the fate bird now."
"Otherwise, even if it gains some benefit, I won’t have time to utilize it."
"I hope I can push this foolish bird, so I can have it break the rules one more time before the Jingxin Calendar 35th year."
"If it’s the longer estimate of five years, it won’t be until the end of Jingxin Calendar 37th year. By then, the war will be almost over, and what’s the use of a damn chicken?"
"I must pressure the foolish bird, can’t let it just waste time like this."
At Dream Palace, inside the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion.
Zhao Xing’s illusion slowly appeared.
"Caw caw~ you’ve come!"
The voice of the senior of the Heavenly Destiny Mysterious Bird echoed in the air.
"Senior," Zhao Xing clasped his hands, "I am here again, how have you been recovering?"
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