Zhao Xing sat on the prayer mat in front of the statue, relaxed his body, closed his eyes, and cleared his mind.
After a short while, a gentle breeze brushed his face, accompanied by rumbling thunder.
Then he felt as if he was in a primeval forest, surrounded by lurking danger.
The Hall Guardian Priestess sensed something and looked at the True Lord Cao Xi's statue, then at Zhao Xing's back: "He learns quite quickly."
When all the strange phenomena disappeared, Zhao Xing opened his eyes, and three Spell knowledge sets had appeared in his mind.
They were: 【Summon Wind】, 【Summon Thunder】, and 【Plants as Soldiers】.
The first two belong to the Farmer's Heaven's Time Faction, serving as prerequisite minor skills for the 《Solar Term Edict》, while the latter can be categorized under the Self Faction's 《Myriad Growth Chart》.
In his previous life, learning a Spell was as simple as tapping a skill book. Now, he needed to comprehend the true knowledge, and engage in deep understanding and learning. From this perspective, players were all truly exceptionally talented.
After sitting for a while, he realized that the mystical feeling was gone, knowing that this was all he could learn for now. So he stood up and bowed: "Thank you, True Lord, for bestowing the Spells."
【Summon Wind: Elementary Spell】
【Progress: (0 / 9999)】
【Effect: Summons a strong gust of wind to blow.】
【Summon Thunder: Elementary Spell】
【Progress: (0 / 9999)】
【Effect: With 'Cloud Manifestation' as a prerequisite, thunder can be heard within the clouds.】
【Plants as Soldiers: Elementary Spell】
【Progress: (0 / 9999)】
【Effect: Uses plants as soldiers to launch attacks】
...
【Summon Wind】 is an independent Spell, but 【Summon Thunder】 requires casting 【Cloud Manifestation】 first.
Before changing professions, this skill was merely a sound, without attack power, at most capable of startling someone.
The truly offensive skill was 【Lightning Guidance】, which could draw lightning from 【Cloud Manifestation】 to attack.
The elementary version of 【Plants as Soldiers】 also had a name that sounded impressive.
Currently, Zhao Xing could only use specific plant Materials to create grass soldiers. To achieve 'Spellcasting without external objects,' where a mere wave of his hand could turn all surrounding plants into soldiers, he still needed to continuously advance the Spell.
Since he hadn't cast them yet, the proficiency was 0.
Most areas within the city were restricted from Spellcasting to avoid disturbing the residents.
Especially for minor officials like them, if they accidentally blew away an old man or woman's drying underwear, or soaked someone's grain seeds, they could expect a salary deduction! What? You still want to become a regular official? Go find somewhere cool to stay!
To practice, one either had to go outside the city or head to the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Ministry of Agriculture was equipped with the Earth Store Return to Origin formation, allowing minor officials like them to practice freely.
Passing through the archway of the Ministry of Agriculture, one could see a five or six-meter-tall 【Wind and Rain Tower Ship】. The ship's ramming prow was a Dragon head, with a flying Dragon spitting water, capable of irrigating a thousand li. The sails were embroidered with Yujiang, capable of summoning gales. It was one of the classic treasures of the agricultural profession.
The small Gu City certainly didn't have such an Advanced treasure; this was merely a model. The actual item was only available at the Ministry of Agriculture at the commandery level at least.
However, even the county-level Ministry of Agriculture had many good things. In the treasure vault in the northeast corner, there were treasures such as 【Flowing Cloud Flying Boat】, 【Return to Origin Waterwheel】, 【Golden Coir Raincoat】, and 【Hundred Flower Bamboo Hat】.
The reason Zhao Xing knew all this so clearly was that the official building layouts of the Great Zhou Dynasty were mostly standardized. Remembering one was essentially remembering all of them.
Coupled with the fact that in his previous life, he had often participated in group attacks on county towns, and the first thing he did upon entering a city was to rush to the Ministry of Agriculture, he even knew where to open mechanisms and take secret passages.
"Stop, this is the treasure vault, no entry allowed!" Suddenly, a voice stopped Zhao Xing.
Zhao Xing looked, and without realizing it, he had wandered near the treasure vault. From the scrutinizing gaze of the gatekeeper, he knew his expression must have looked shifty.
Sigh, his occupational disease had flared up again.
"My apologies, I was distracted." Zhao Xing cupped his hands, suppressed the urge within him, and turned to leave.
"Don't rush, you'll have everything once you're ashore."
After comforting himself, Zhao Xing passed through the herb area and arrived at the courtyard district where official officers resided.
There was only one Chief Agriculturist of the ninth rank in the Ministry of Agriculture.
However, there were several Agriculturists of the ninth rank, each in charge of storage, iron markets, cultivated fields, price stabilization, and transport.
In frontier cities, military Agriculturists would also be set up, specifically to accompany armies and create favorable environments for the large forces.
The Chief Agriculturist of the ninth rank was the head official of the agricultural supervision and generally did not guide minor officials, unless they had influence or connections.
The Agriculturists of the ninth rank had an obligation to guide and teach internally.
Gu City's Agriculturists of the ninth rank had a full complement of nine, but currently, there were only seven.
Each had a certain number of minor officials under him, who were both his subordinates and his students.
"Elder Brother, Elder Brother, please wait for me!" As he was walking through the covered walkway, a familiar voice came from behind him.
He turned and stopped, seeing Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong, both carrying baskets.
"Why are you two also here so early?"
"Aren't you the same, Elder Brother?" Chen Ziyu smiled.
Qian Dong pretended to be profound: "Ziyu, you see, I was right after all. Elder Brother has indeed been secretly working hard behind our backs these days, coming so early to visit Teacher Xue. Eh? Elder Brother's complexion looks much better than a few days ago..."
Zhao Xing's mouth twitched. Could he please stop mentioning his complexion?
"Less chatter, let's go quickly."
Zhao Xing's superior and teacher was named Xue Wen Zhong, and he had the most minor officials under him.
It wasn't because he was particularly powerful; it was purely because Xue Wen Zhong was the old good-natured person within the Ministry of Agriculture.
Other Agriculturists were selective about minor officials, reluctant to take too many due to time constraints, and for the sake of political achievements, they would consider family background and Aptitude when choosing, picking all the good seedlings. If a regular official emerged from their subordinates, it counted as a political achievement.
Xue Wen Zhong was kind and simple, only knowing how to do his work and not caring about his future. When his colleagues refused to take those of low status and rough Aptitude, he voluntarily took on the task. As a result, out of over five hundred minor officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, two hundred and four were under Xue Wen Zhong!
Even though the old Agriculturist was dedicated, with too many Disciples, he couldn't teach them all. The effort he could allocate to each person would inevitably decrease. In contrast, wealthy young masters like Li Cheng Feng, under careful guidance, progressed rapidly.
Arriving at Xue Wen Zhong's courtyard, forty or fifty people were already waiting in the hall.
The old Agriculturist was lecturing on 《Hundred Solutions of Heaven's Time》 on a high platform. Everyone listened attentively, and those who occasionally moved in or out did so on tiptoe, bending at the waist and lowering their heads.
The Agriculturist of the ninth rank already possessed magical abilities. It was already early summer, but the courtyard still had peach blossoms in full bloom, warm as spring.
Only the occasional cough proved that this old Agriculturist seemed somewhat frail.
"Agriculturist Xue is already ninety-eight years old, and his physical condition is not very good. During Emperor Jing's reign, the benefits for officials were not many; two instances of life extension and blessings for a ninth-rank official were the absolute maximum. I wonder how much longer he can live," Zhao Xing thought.
"Old Agriculturist, please don't die this year. If you pass away, I'll be missing a recommending superior to give me that final push. It will inevitably cause more trouble."
He didn't know if his silent prayer had worked, but Xue Wen Zhong indeed stopped coughing. He looked up again.
Oh, it turned out the lecture had ended, and it was time for free consultation.