Chapter 957: Chapter 54: Rivers of Blood, Monsters Cultivated by Liu Tianning!
The three Ministers of Agriculture who have mastered the top-level Grassman Skill appeared together at this moment, walking slowly along the grand avenue.
The surrounding guests, whether from Shangluo Academy or not, couldn’t help but feel emotional.
"Xu Xing perfected the top-level Grassman Skill at the age of eighty, which is the record for all past deans of this dynasty, a true genius among geniuses."
"Liu Tianning achieved the top level at precisely sixty years old."
"As for Zhao Xing, he mastered it at forty."
"All are whole ages." King Heavenly Time walked slowly behind, reflecting deeply.
Is it destiny, or a coincidence?
"Each generation is younger than the last." Duke Wei said, "Shangluo Academy might actually produce a Grand Minister of Agriculture."
"And each generation is stronger than the last." Luo Hou King said, "Xu Xing has the five great Dharma Bodies, Liu Tianning now has seven, and Zhao Xing might be even stronger in the future."
"Definitely stronger." King Heavenly Time smiled. "Luo Hou, will you bet?"
Luo Hou: "..."
Duke Wei laughed and said, "Heavenly Time, don’t always trick Luo Hou King, this isn’t the first time."
"Luo Hou, you too. Knowing he’s a Fate Officer, you still bet with him. I know you believe man can triumph over destiny, but King Heavenly Time knows many secrets."
Luo Hou King said, "I kind of want to beat him up, but I’m afraid he might die just to spite me."
"Forget it, won’t bet this time."
King Heavenly Time laughed triumphantly.
In the Divine Wood Institute’s group, Zhuang Daren looked at the three ahead and couldn’t help but shake his head: "It’s not Liu Tianning and Zhao Xing supporting him, clearly he’s the one supporting the disciples and grand-disciples."
"Teacher, don’t be envious, we’ll support you too." She Gongzhi, Wen Weiqi, and Xin Bojian immediately jumped in.
Seeing his three disciples looking half-dead, Zhuang Daren burst with anger: "Get lost, you three, don’t show up in front of the Ten Thousand Dao Tree later!"
One was bandaged, another had a big belly, and the third’s face was green.
Anyone unaware might think that Zhuang Daren’s disciples were some old, weak, sick, and disabled group!
It was truly embarrassing!
"Yes, sir!" This time the three quickly complied with Zhuang Daren’s orders and disappeared without a trace.
"Regeneration." Zhuang Daren sighed involuntarily.
Upon hearing Zhuang Daren’s sigh, Chu Qianqiu of the Military Envoy Academy also deeply empathized.
He searched around and found that not many from the Military Envoy Academy were willing to fight Zhao Xing.
"Qianqiu, are you going to continue?" asked Jiang Chunyao, the giant supported by the wind beside him.
"Yes." Chu Qianqiu’s tone was calm, but his eyes were determined. "Someone has to die."
"Uncle Master, if I die by his hand, hand over the Heavenly Soul Tree."
"Alas, why bother." Jiang Yaochun sighed.
Chu Qianqiu smiled and said, "Whether I’m in the Academy doesn’t matter. What matters is what the Academy will become in Liu Tianning’s hands."
Upon seeing Liu Tianning, Chu Qianqiu knew he had no chance of winning.
Nonetheless, Chu Qianqiu decided to lay down his life to alert Liu Tianning not to get too entangled with the Royal Family, ruining the Academy’s future.
...
Zhao Xing accompanied Xu Xing, drawing even more attention.
But at this moment, his focus was entirely on Xu Xing.
Without a doubt, Xu Xing was a first-class strong person.
A First Grade Life Palace could already alter the rules of a piece of the world, no longer just distortion or influence.
Just like witnessing the Water and Fire Spiritual Talent before, fire emerging from water, it was completely against the common logic of the world.
Every move of Xu Xing contained Dao Yun.
Purely in terms of combat ability, he could even beat Li Boqian, who hadn’t yet inherited the position of Grand Minister of Agriculture.
If not counting the boost from official status and the multiple divine artifacts the Grand Minister of Agriculture mastered.
In a bare-knuckle fight, Li Boqian, as the leader of the Heavenly Time Sect, also could not defeat Xu Xing.
Back then, Emperor Jing even considered making Xu Xing the Grand Minister of Agriculture, but although the leaders of the Self Sect were mighty, there was a flaw shared by all, which was madness.
The stronger they were, the worse the madness.
The Grand Minister of Agriculture set an example for all Ministers of Agriculture under the heavens and could wield three divine artifacts: Heaven, Society, and Grain. If Xu Xing went mad, there would be no need to fight the Ping Man War.
Ultimately, after thorough consideration, Emperor Jing had to forgo Xu Xing in favor of Li Boqian.
As expected, Xu Xing eventually went mad, causing a lot of unnecessary casualties.
But all this was confidential, known only because of his long proximity to King Heavenly Time.
"Grand-disciple, have you seen enough?" Xu Xing suddenly turned his head and smiled at Zhao Xing.
"It was disrespectful of me, Grand-disciple." Zhao Xing quickly lowered his head.
"Hahaha, I’m not saying you can’t look." Xu Xing laughed. "You’ve only reached the second layer of the Yin Yang Self Scripture and wish to ponder my Dao, that’s too ahead; the road must be walked slowly to be stable."
"If no one challenges you when we reach the Ten Thousand Dao Tree, you can look to your heart’s content."
"Yes." Zhao Xing responded respectfully.
He understood that to have the chance to observe the Ten Thousand Dao Tree up close, he must defeat anyone daring to challenge him.
"I wonder how many will come to court death." A hint of excitement flashed in Zhao Xing’s eyes.
...
Xu Xing led the crowd to a crucial site of Shangluo Academy—the Wandao Plain.
There stood an enormous tree, with its thickest branches exceeding twenty meters in diameter.
The entire Ten Thousand Dao Tree was over ten thousand meters tall!
It was also one of Shangluo Academy’s treasured assets, considered a treasure of rare and precious level.
The Ten Thousand Dao Tree had lived for over five hundred thousand years, extremely ancient.
It could store the insights into the Dao of strong practitioners through the ages at Shangluo Academy.
Each leaf contained the Dao illumination of predecessors; its lush and dense foliage, branches, and leaves represented countless insights into the Dao.
The Dao at the leaf level was all left by First Grade practitioners.
Only a superior expert could make the Ten Thousand Dao Tree sprout new branches.
"The Ten Thousand Dao Tree." Zhao Xing gazed at the towering tree at the center of the plain from a distance, and, aboard the Silver Dragon Flying Boat, a clone of his closed its eyes, "Such a massive Ten Thousand Dao Tree is a rarity in the universe, a unique feature of the Xuanhuang Realm."