Three quarters of an hour later, Zhao Xing was still caught.
Under a rockery, Shen Zhui breathed slightly, nailing the iron ruler onto Zhao Xing's head.
Zhao Xing was slightly startled, then put away his Spell.
"Brother Shen, you've won again."
Shen Zhui retrieved his iron ruler, his eyes a little surprised: "Brother Zhao, your progress is too fast. This is only the third sparring session, and you can already summon lightning, and this strange rain… It actually took me a full three quarters of an hour to catch you."
"A loss is a loss, Brother Shen, you don't need to comfort me."
Shen Zhui shook his head and said: "I'm telling the truth. After the first quarter of an hour, my Origin Qi consumption was already three times greater than last time. After two quarters of an hour, my movement technique could no longer be subtle."
The ice rain consumed a lot of Qi and blood. After all, this Spell was known to freeze Origin Qi. If Zheng Lun had cast it in an ambush, the Great Halberd Warriors would have been directly frozen into popsicles.
Of course, Zhao Xing had just started, and didn't even have a first-turn Spell, so the suppressive force on Shen Zhui, who was at the seventh stage of Gathering Origin, wasn't that exaggerated.
"But in the third quarter of an hour, your strength suddenly surged, completely ignoring the effects of the ice rain, and you merged into the rain. Brother Shen, what kind of move is that?" Zhao Xing asked.
Shen Zhui smiled and said: "It's the secret technique 'Qian Yuan Burning Blood', which can temporarily elevate my strength to a higher level, and my control over my body will also be stronger."
"Only then can I withstand the erosion of the rain and your heavenly lightning strike."
Zhao Xing suddenly realized: "It seems I still haven't forced out Brother Shen's full strength."
Shen Zhui laughed and said: "Didn't you also not use your full strength? This time I didn't see you use wind."
"My wind is more troublesome and I haven't mastered it properly, so it's not good to use it on Brother Shen."
It wasn't a life-and-death struggle, just a sparring session, so Zhao Xing didn't need to use the Yin Wind on Shen Zhui.
Even this ice rain Spell did not exert its true power.
It was autumn now, still scorching hot, and Yang Qi was abundant.
The effect of the ice rain Spell would be halved.
If it were late winter and early spring, the ice rain Spell could exert its normal effect.
However, there was nothing that could be done. The Sifang could borrow the advantages of time and place, but also had to be affected by them.
Unless he entered the Grade and Zhao Xing began to cultivate the "Solar Terms Order," mastering the winter solar terms, then he would no longer be limited by the environment, and the ice rain could also exert its maximum power.
As the two were chatting, Chen Shijie walked out of the room.
"You two should not spar these few days. The Autumn Equinox Mountain Opening is the day after tomorrow. Go back and recuperate, and prepare well for this assessment."
"Yes." Shen Zhui and Zhao Xing bid farewell together.
The Great Zhou's "Spiritual Mountain Law" stipulates: "Wherever a county has a Spiritual Mountain, it must follow the cycle of heaven and earth, sealing the mountain in the spring equinox to nurture living beings; opening the mountain in the autumn equinox to gather its spiritual essence."
Donghu Mountain in Gucheng, a thousand feet high, naturally formed, with Origin Qi condensed and not dispersed, was a proper 'Spiritual Mountain'.
After Zhao Xing and Shen Zhui left Chen's mansion, they started chatting.
"Brother Zhao, the Autumn Equinox Mountain Opening is the day after tomorrow. You must be very busy these days."
Mountains, rivers, and lakes are all under the management of the Sifang Supervisor, and Spiritual Mountains naturally also belong to the Sifang Supervisor.
To serve in a place with a 'Spiritual Mountain', the Sifang also needs to know the 'Mountain Opening Spell' and the 'Mountain Sealing Spell'.
Because the Spring Equinox Mountain Sealing and Autumn Equinox Mountain Opening both require the Sifang to cast Spells.
Zhao Xing smiled and said: "What does the Sifang Supervisor's Mountain Opening have to do with me? How many Spells do I know? The Mountain Opening Spell doesn't need me to cast it."
Shen Zhui said: "Will Brother Zhao go hiking to collect spiritual essence?"
Zhao Xing said without hesitation: "Of course I will."
Nurturing the spiritual essence of the mountain, and then collecting 'spiritual essence', this is the meaning of sealing and opening the mountain.
The spiritual essence of the mountain can bring different benefits to people.
Some increase their Lifespan, some increase their Luck, some greatly increase their Origin Qi, and some make their Spells go up a level.
Cao Xi, the commander of Jitian, was able to be enfeoffed as a lord after his death, largely because he had cultivated a Donghu Spiritual Mountain.
And since the birth of the Spiritual Mountain in Gucheng, the assessment of officials on the day of the Autumn Equinox being linked to Donghu Mountain has also become a tradition.
"The Autumn Equinox assessment is to climb the mountain and collect spiritual essence after the mountain is opened."
"Ranking is based on harvest."
"The spiritual essence of the mountain is divided into three grades: High, Medium, and Low."
"The best of the High Grade is the Luck Spiritual Essence, which can increase Luck."
"Medium Grade is the Origin Spell Spiritual Essence, which either allows a Realm Breakthrough or a Spell Breakthrough."
"Low Grade is the Lifespan Spiritual Essence, which increases very little and is not obvious."
"Obtaining High Grade spiritual essence is rated A, Medium Grade spiritual essence is rated B, Low Grade spiritual essence is rated C, and nothing gained is not counted as a score."
Shen Zhui said with a hint of envy: "I heard that in the great mountain opening ten years ago, someone went from unranked directly into the eighth-grade Realm, which is truly enviable."
Mountain opening and sealing are divided into large and small, the shortest being one year, the longest ten years.
However, among the nine Spiritual Mountains in Nanyang County, there are rarely large-scale sealing and opening. The one Shen Zhui mentioned was only sealed for three years.
"There are nine Spiritual Mountains in Nanyang County. Although Donghu Mountain ranks only fifth, in that year, not only officials from this county actively participated, but also many officials from other counties came over."
Zhao Xing said: "Brother Shen only sees the lucky ones, but he doesn't know that some people also die without a burial place. Climbing the mountain to collect spiritual essence not only has benefits, but also dangers."
Shen Zhui said: "Climbing the Spiritual Mountain and collecting spiritual essence, everyone in Nanyang County can participate, but from September 22nd to September 24th, only officials are allowed to enter, and no masters will enter the mountain."
The Autumn Equinox was the day after tomorrow, but at this time, the post station in Gucheng was already full. Many officials from other counties wanted to try their Luck at Donghu Mountain.
The county yamen was also overcrowded, because cross-county examinations required prior registration.
Gucheng was still good. The number one Spiritual Mountain in Nanyang County, 'Yuanping Mountain', had even more people. The competition was also greater, and many officials had already reached the ninth stage of Gathering Origin, and some had even reached the Realm of entering a grade, but had not yet been officially appointed.
Zhao Xing shook his head and said: "I mean climbing the mountain itself is somewhat dangerous."
When climbing the mountain to collect spiritual essence, there are restrictions on the competition among officials. They can snatch, but killing and disabling are not allowed.
However, the mountains are treacherous, especially newly opened Spiritual Mountains, which are inherently dangerous, and people have died before.
Shen Zhui gripped the iron ruler at his waist and said firmly: "Even if it's dangerous, I will try it this year, otherwise, who knows how many competitors there will be next year? They all say it's getting harder year by year."
For officials, climbing the mountain to collect spiritual essence is an opportunity to overtake. For those who are already in the lead, it is even more important to participate to prevent being surpassed.
He paused, then looked at Zhao Xing: "Will you go?"
Zhao Xing smiled and said: "Of course I will. I'm a local, so if the mountain god doesn't protect me, a local, will he protect outsiders?"
This was, of course, a joke. Although there was a mountain climbing and god worship ritual during the Autumn Equinox, the Yin God didn't care if you were local or from out of town. As long as you were a citizen of the Zhou Dynasty, everyone was treated equally.
"Hahaha, then I'll see you at Donghu Mountain the day after tomorrow." Shen Zhui laughed loudly and left.