"The rules have long been set and will not change," Liu Wanliang said.
"That's good to hear," Zhao Xing nodded.
From then on, Zhao Xing refrained from asking further questions, and Liu Wanliang remained silent. The group waited quietly in front of the entrance to the Canghai Cave-Heaven.
More teams trickled onto the barren plain, and soon the area surrounding the entrance became bustling with activity. Though there were only about 50,000 Beastmasters, their war pets had no such limits—contracting as many as one could manage was a testament to one's ability.
However, mid-tier Beastmasters had a cap on the number of soul contracts they could form. These contracts placed a burden on the Beastmaster, heavier even than cultivating the Straw Puppet technique. While a Straw Puppet relied on splitting one's life soul, which could be deactivated or reabsorbed at will, Beastmasters carried the life souls of their war pets—a far heavier load. Imagine having hundreds or even thousands of Long Aotians or Blue Lion Hounds barking in your mind every day; a Beastmaster would go insane within a year.
One couldn't simply dismiss contracts whenever they weren't fighting, as doing so frequently would damage both the Beastmaster and their war pets.
"Typically, Beastmasters entering combat only bring fewer than ten war pets. Quality matters over quantity, and maintaining more isn't practical."
"Even top-tier Beastmasters in the Soul Master realm, capable of supporting more contracts, wouldn't rely on sheer numbers."
It's better to focus on nurturing a few elite war pets unless the numbers reached a game-changing scale. This trend would shift during the Spirit Qi Revival Era, where war pets gained significant intelligence, and both Beastmasters and their pets began cultivating their life souls. At that point, the contract limits would increase, but even then, few could afford to "mass-produce" war pets.
Zhao Xing glanced at the surrounding teams of Beastmasters. "Even with Spirit Qi Revival, financial resources will remain a bottleneck. Cultivating war pets requires immense investment."
Developing a few main combat pets was already taxing. Raising dozens? That was the domain of the wealthy. For Beastmasters, their war pets often cost ten or even dozens of times more than their own cultivation expenses. Take Zhao Xing, for instance—excluding the exception of his Mountain Cat, the Spirit Illusion Goat and Blue Lion Hound had consumed resources worth roughly 20 million.
And this was at cost price since Zhao Xing himself was a resource producer and the Shennong under the jurisdiction of the Marquis of Shenlei. For others, the cost could be several times higher.
Beastmastering was a money-burning profession, second only to Mechanists. Graduates often had to rely on royal patronage or hailed from noble families themselves. Independent Beastmasters were exceedingly rare.
Among the various professions, the most economical cultivation path was that of a Martial Artist, although this was only in comparison to other professions.
Zhao Xing observed the barren land. "There's not much to see now. Everyone's keeping a low profile, walking on foot. No grand displays yet."
On Baiyun Island, flight was prohibited. Even birds had to obediently walk, and Beastmasters suppressed their pets' auras and power. The disciplined teams moved with minimal disturbance.
With four hours remaining, Zhao Xing set down his Wenzhu Box, leaned back against it, and closed his eyes to rest. Meanwhile, the Blue Lion Hound, Mountain Cat, and Spirit Illusion Goat formed a protective triangle around him.
Zhao Xing's mind sank into his Pure Essence Space.
The fertile soil within had expanded from 34,100 square meters to 68,000 square meters, though it remained at the third-tier level. The Pure Essence Space had unique attributes:
Only plant lifeforms of fifth grade or higher could enter, aligning with the fifth-tier Pure Essence realm.
Non-living materials allowed entry in two categories: wood-attribute materials (with weight limits) and energy treasures like Essence Crystals (with no weight limit, only spatial constraints).
The Pure Essence Space thrived. Excluding tree-type plants, which hadn't matured yet, the rest had fully grown. Zhao Xing divided the soil into three zones:
Plant Troops: This largest area housed over ten thousand plant-based soldiers like Lightning Bamboo, Resilient Vines, Poison Mushrooms, and Thousand-Sound Bamboo.
Recovery Plants: Focused on vitality restoration and detoxifying herbs.
Consumable Plants: Materials for the Myriad Form Manifestation technique.
At the center stood fifty Myriad Manifestation Manifestations, including nine of the strongest.
"The competition rules forbid carrying divine weapons," Zhao Xing mused. "But the Myriad Manifestation Manifestations don't count, right?"
He was confident his plant troops wouldn't violate the rules, as the official Beastmaster classification had once included Plant Masters before being dismissed due to objections from the Shennong profession.
But for Zhao Xing, as a combat-oriented Shennong of the Self Sect, entering the competition wasn't without precedent, though it was rare. Even rarer was a Self Sect Shennong focused on battle rather than economic plants. Among cultivation paths, mainstream thinking still favored the Heavenly Timing and Earth Advantage sects over the Self Sect.
"Why would anyone wanting to fight choose the Self Sect over the other two?" Zhao Xing mused. However, controlling plant soldiers did qualify a Self Sect Shennong as a Beastmaster of sorts, even if the mainstream Beastmaster community didn't recognize it.
The Myriad Manifestation Manifestations, on the other hand, were trickier. Historically, there had never been a Self Sect Shennong with such a technique participating in the Myriad Beasts Competition.
"Divine weapons are forbidden, but the Myriad Manifestation Manifestations are a spell-based technique, not equipment." Zhao Xing reviewed the rules carefully and confirmed there were no restrictions against using them. He relaxed.
Four hours passed quickly.
Before long, a massive golden dragon warship appeared above the entrance to the Canghai Cave-Heaven.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Countless gazes turned skyward toward the warship, where several dozen officials stood on the deck. Four individuals floated down from the ship.
"Lesser Shennong Wang Tianzhi, Grand Stable Officer Ji Shuchang, Grand General of the Eastern Sea Hong Yuanba, and Aquatic Tribe Envoy Bai Yunwu," Zhao Xing recognized them immediately.
These four were presiding over the event, an authority surpassing even Princess Youruo, who, despite her noble status, held no second-rank official position.
"Wang Tianzhi is a candidate for the next Grand Shennong," Zhao Xing noted. "At just over 250 years old, he's considered young for his rank but holds high seniority as the junior disciple of the current Grand Shennong, Li Boqian. He also serves as Vice Dean of Xuantian Academy."
Each of the nineteen provinces in Great Zhou had a Lesser Shennong, though sometimes additional positions were created for cave-heavens and blessed lands. Wang Tianzhi's dual roles as Lesser Shennong and Vice Dean made him particularly influential.
Ji Shuchang, the Grand Stable Officer, managed all Beastmaster affairs across the empire, with overlapping duties with the Lesser Shennongs. Despite differing cultivation paths, their official functions intertwined, much like interwoven beams in a grand structure.
Zhao Xing recalled his training in the Military Shennong program at Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, which included Mechanist formations, ship piloting, and deity summoning. Yet Zhao Xing avoided the latter path, disliking the risks of spirit possession, even if the officials claimed it carried no long-term harm.
The overlapping functions of various positions often resulted in officials with diverse talents. Ji Shuchang opened with formal remarks, recounting the history of the Dragon Court ruins and the origins of the Myriad Beasts Competition.
"Without Emperor Wen's benevolence," Ji Shuchang proclaimed, "the Aquatic Tribes would never have surrendered, nor would the Dragon Court ruins have become accessible to Great Zhou. Emperor Jing expanded the allotments from 1,000 to 5,000 spots. Such achievements stem from the imperial family's vision."
The gathered Beastmasters shouted, "Long live the Emperor!"
Zhao Xing listened intently as the competition rules were announced:
The competition began upon entering the Canghai Cave-Heaven.
Five trials awaited participants: the Great Arena, Dragon's Guard, Island of the Chosen, True Dragon King's City, and Dragon Speech Decree.
No divine weapons were permitted.
Elimination of all war pets would result in disqualification, regardless of points.
If a war pet reached the fourth rank within the cave-heaven, the owner would receive an automatic allotment.
The first trial, the Great Arena, prioritized survival and combat, awarding points for eliminating opponents.
Zhao Xing smirked at the challenge. "This will be interesting."
Upon the signal, a vast blue vortex opened the entrance to the Canghai Cave-Heaven. A dragon's roar echoed as participants surged forward.
"Let's go, Aotian, Huantian, Xiaotian!" Zhao Xing commanded.
Zhao Xing immediately rode the wind, soaring into the air. Beside him, a cat, a dog, and a goat swiftly took flight, closely following their master as they charged forward.
"He's so fast! How is he this fast?" Lin Ziyue, riding atop a Flying Sky Elephant, was just preparing to accelerate when she saw Zhao Xing shoot forward like a streak of light. In the blink of an eye, he was already a shadow in the distance.
"Fast! His speed, and even the speed of his war pets, is remarkable," remarked Wang Zhaozhao, equally astonished. Based solely on speed, Zhao Xing outpaced them, even though they were mid-tier fourth-ranked Beastmasters.
"Is he playing the fool to catch others off guard?" Zhang Mo glanced at Zhao Xing with a bewildered look, wondering about his true abilities.
But there was no time to dwell on it further. The Beastmasters from the Princess's Estate were already rushing toward the entrance to the Canghai Cave-Heaven.
Buzz!
Zhao Xing joined the countless streams of light surging toward the massive vortex gate. Around him, tens of thousands of competitors moved at breakneck speed, keeping pace.
The sensation of entering a Cave-Heaven was familiar. Upon crossing the threshold, Zhao Xing felt a faint resistance. His vision swirled as the heavens spun, gravity reversed, and the world turned upside down. He found himself floating head down and feet up.
"Stop!" Zhao Xing commanded, bringing himself to a halt mid-air. His three war pets also stopped instantly, hovering around him protectively.
"Divine Eye Technique!" Zhao Xing activated his ability, immediately scanning his surroundings. While many had entered together, now only a few scattered streams of light were visible streaking across the distant skies.
"Canghai Cave-Heaven is vast—larger than I expected. It seems the entrants are scattered far apart," Zhao Xing muttered to himself.
"Let's see where I am." He pulled a Geoscope from his robes. Though equipment was prohibited, the Geoscope was exempt from this rule, as were lower-grade magical garments below the fourth tier.
Buzz!
The Geoscope projected a holographic image, displaying the terrain of the Cave-Heaven. Five floating continents appeared before him—a complete map of Canghai Cave-Heaven.
"The so-called Nine Heavens of Canghai refers to nine floating continents suspended in the void. For this competition, only five layers are open, and the first trial is located in the Great Arena."
The rules for the Great Arena were simple: eliminate other Beastmasters and their war pets.
Eliminating a sixth-tier war pet earned 100 base points, with an additional half of the opponent's accumulated points if the Beastmaster was also eliminated.
For a fifth-tier war pet, 1,000 base points were awarded, plus half of the opponent's points.
For a fourth-tier war pet, the reward jumped to 10,000 base points, along with half the opponent's points.
Staying in the Great Arena for a full day would grant 10,000 survival points the next day. However, being eliminated meant points were halved. Two months later, the second trial on the next continent would open.
"This trial will be the most competitive," Zhao Xing thought, studying the map. It showed his location near the Blue Pearl Lake within the first layer of Canghai Cave-Heaven.
"There are only 46 supply points nearby. With so many entrants, most will rush to claim resources as their first priority."
Resources were critical. The first layer of the Cave-Heaven had extremely sparse spiritual energy. Without it, even basic survival, let alone fighting, became incredibly difficult. To stay in the game, participants would have to claim resources or eliminate opponents to seize their supplies.
"Not only is there no ambient energy to absorb, but even my own energy is slowly depleting," Zhao Xing frowned as he surveyed the terrain below. "The entire continent seems to be affected by a high-level formation. Beneath the surface, there must be numerous Energy-Draining Palaces."
The energy loss, though subtle, would drain half the reserves of even a fifth-tier war pet in just one day. Two days would see them completely exhausted.
Zhao Xing activated the Essence Gathering Technique, attempting to lock his energy flow. However, even with his precautions, the energy loss continued unabated.
"I'm not an ordinary fifth-tier cultivator. My Pure Essence Space, coupled with Xuanhuang Essence Breaking Technique and the infusion of ten billion worth of resources, has greatly enhanced my reserves. Logically, my energy shouldn't run out at all."
"And yet, it's still depleting. At best, I can extend my limit to six days."
Zhao Xing's situation underscored the severity of the energy-draining environment. For most competitors, survival without resources would be impossible for even a few days.
"My Mountain Cat, Blue Lion Hound, and Spirit Illusion Goat have different levels of strength, so their energy loss rates should vary. But strangely, all three seem to be limited to just four days of endurance."
"Does this mean the stronger the entity, the more energy is drained?" Zhao Xing pondered.
He also noted the shrinking fog that enveloped the first layer. Over two months, the mist would gradually contract until the usable area was reduced to the size of a small county. This mechanism would force confrontations, as survival space diminished over time.
"Let's go gather supplies!" Zhao Xing said decisively.
"Woof!" "Meow!" "Baa!" His three companions responded enthusiastically.
Zhao Xing cast the Wind Technique, flying rapidly toward the nearest supply point. Gathering enough resources for himself and his three war pets to last a month was essential. Anything extra would be a bonus, given the constant energy drain.
Swish, swish, swish!
Riding the wind, Zhao Xing felt the energy drain accelerate. "Flying low or high makes no difference. These Energy-Draining Palaces truly live up to their reputation," he observed. The range of the top-tier formation was vast, likely covering the entire Great Arena.
Without a counter-technique, there was no way to prevent the gradual energy loss.
"There it is—my first supply point."
In less than five minutes, Zhao Xing spotted an ancient palace perched atop a hillside. A five-colored Yuan Rice Flag fluttered above it.
"Lucky! The first palace I find is a fifth-tier supply point, and it's so close," Zhao Xing grinned. Activating the Divine Eye Technique, he scanned the surroundings but found no other competitors in sight.
"Derivation Five lives up to its reputation. Not a single rival in sight—I get to claim this palace all for myself!"
With the Mountain Cat, Blue Lion Hound, and Spirit Illusion Goat at his side, Zhao Xing quickly entered the palace. Inside, he discovered three large chests.
"Mountain Cat, unlock them!" he commanded.
The Mountain Cat raised a paw, slashing with a lightning-quick swipe. The locks on the three chests shattered instantly.
Peering inside, Zhao Xing found ten fifth-tier mid-grade Essence Crystals in each chest.
"Thirty mid-grade Essence Crystals—this will sustain us for at least two and a half days," Zhao Xing calculated.
"Pure Essence Projection!" With a thought, Zhao Xing summoned a shadow-like aura that enveloped the three chests, absorbing their contents into his Pure Essence Space.
Without this storage capability, carrying the crystals—each the size of a water tank—would have been cumbersome and highly conspicuous.
"On to the next location!" Zhao Xing declared, wasting no time.
After securing the first supply point, Zhao Xing immediately activated fifty Myriad Manifestation Manifestations, sending them out in different directions.
"In the early stages, gathering supplies is relatively easy since the starting positions are random. Even weaker competitors can grab a decent amount if they're lucky. But later, it'll come down to fighting for resources," Zhao Xing mused as he observed his surroundings.
Supplies were limited, ensuring that only a fraction of competitors could sustain themselves to the next stage.
"My Manifestations have lower energy reserves than my main body, but they're enough to collect supplies and last two to three days," Zhao Xing thought. "If I can repeatedly gather supplies without engaging in battle, it'll be a huge advantage."
Buzz!
In an instant, fifty Myriad Manifestation Manifestations appeared around Zhao Xing, seemingly materializing out of thin air. Each Manifestation moved with precision, either flying or burrowing underground, heading toward the supply points scattered around Blue Pearl Lake.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing's main body moved stealthily toward another target. Time was of the essence—claiming resources early meant a significant advantage in the first trial.
Within half an hour, thirty of Zhao Xing's Manifestations had successfully secured supplies and were already returning to the main body.
Beep, beep, beep—
High above Blue Pearl Lake, aboard a floating warship, Canghai Guardian Ming Dan received a report from the monitoring station:
"Guardian Ming Dan, please review an anomaly detected near Blue Pearl Lake."
"Hmm? The competition has barely started, and there's already an anomaly?" Ming Dan, a middle-aged man clad in light armor with a massive blade on his back, frowned in confusion. As a monitoring guardian, his job was to oversee the arena and report any irregularities for prompt intervention. He hadn't expected any issues this early.
Curious, Ming Dan opened his Geoscope.
"Spirit Pearl, what's the anomaly?" he asked the mechanical assistant monitoring the supply points.
"Thirty supply points near Blue Pearl Lake were all cleared almost simultaneously by the same individual," the Spirit Pearl replied. Its humanoid figure glowed faintly as it displayed the findings.
"The same person appeared at thirty supply points at the same time?" Ming Dan's eyes widened in disbelief.
The Geoscope displayed footage from multiple locations, all showing the same figure—Zhao Xing—at nearly identical times.
"This isn't sequential action—it's simultaneous!" Ming Dan muttered. "Is he cheating? Did he bring mechanical puppets into the competition? That's impossible with the current regulations."
Uneasy, Ming Dan reviewed the footage again, noting the unmistakable consistency of Zhao Xing's appearance at each site.
"Spirit Pearl, investigate his identity immediately!"
"Yes, sir," the assistant replied, its glowing figure vanishing into another room aboard the warship.
"I'll investigate directly," Ming Dan decided, though cautiously. "Report this anomaly to Inspector Lin Zhengfeng. Inform him that I'm observing the situation firsthand."
With that, Ming Dan descended from the warship, heading toward Zhao Xing's location.
At Supply Point 41, Zhao Xing had just finished organizing his resources. The Mountain Cat, Blue Lion Hound, and Spirit Illusion Goat were resting nearby, while piles of empty chests were stacked outside the palace.
"Meow!" The Mountain Cat gnawed on a pill but seemed dissatisfied with its flavor.
"Woof!" The Blue Lion Hound suddenly barked, its ears pricking up. It turned toward Zhao Xing with a cautious expression.
"Xiaotian, did you sense someone approaching?" Zhao Xing asked. The hound nodded in affirmation.
Zhao Xing stepped outside, scanning the area. In the distance, three beams of light appeared atop a nearby hill.
As the light faded, three figures emerged, accompanied by a dozen war pets. Half of the war pets were early fourth-tier creatures.
"Two fifth-tier Beastmasters and one fourth-tier Beastmaster," Zhao Xing muttered, narrowing his eyes as he assessed the group. "Twelve war pets, half of which are at the fourth tier. It seems I've finally run into other competitors."
"Stop!" Zhao Xing used a Sound Transmission Technique, his voice cutting through the air. "This supply point has already been claimed. Go elsewhere unless you want to fight."
Zhao Xing had no interest in wasting energy on a battle this early. Eliminating these three wouldn't yield significant points, and conserving energy for later was the smarter choice.
But the leading fourth-tier Beastmaster, Li Tao, ignored his warning, activating a Clear Eyes Technique to study Zhao Xing. "A mere fifth-tier Beastmaster dares act so arrogant?" he scoffed.
To Li Tao, as a fourth-tier competitor with high-level war pets, Zhao Xing was no threat.
"How is this a fifth-tier supply point with so many empty chests?" Chen He exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Senior Brother, we've already hit seven empty locations. It seems like this guy has hoarded all the supplies from around Blue Pearl Lake," Chen He said, licking his lips as he eyed the stack of discarded chests outside the palace.
"One person hoarding so many supplies? He's just begging to be eliminated," he sneered.
"Senior Brother, let's take him out," Chen He urged.
Li Tao nodded. Without supplies, surviving in the Canghai Cave-Heaven was impossible. While the map showed other areas to scavenge, the competition for resources there would be equally fierce. Their best bet was to claim as much as they could now.
"Alright," Li Tao said. "Chen He, Qian Zhong, go handle him. If he's sensible and hands over the supplies, let him leave. If not, eliminate him."
Confident in their superiority, Li Tao didn't even bother stepping forward himself. With twelve war pets, half of them at the fourth tier, he felt assured that his two junior brothers could handle Zhao Xing and his three fifth-tier war pets.
"Stop right there!" Zhao Xing shouted, his voice carrying an authoritative edge. "Take one more step, and I won't hold back."
"Hah! Trying to bluff me? Don't think I can't tell it's just you in that palace," Chen He laughed derisively. "Kid, if you know what's good for you, leave now!"
"We'll allow you to take one chest with you," Qian Zhong added smugly, "but the rest stays here."
"Otherwise, your journey ends here and now!"
Zhao Xing frowned, his sharp senses picking up on the faint presence of someone else observing him from a distance. He couldn't pinpoint their exact location, but the thought of being watched made him wary.
Without revealing his unease, Zhao Xing assessed the situation. Li Tao's group clearly wouldn't back down without a fight, leaving him no choice but to deal with them decisively.
"I'll have to end this quickly," Zhao Xing muttered to himself, narrowing his eyes. "And send a message to the one lurking in the shadows."
Focusing his attention, Zhao Xing prepared to unleash his full strength. In battles like this, the fastest way to victory was to target the Beastmasters themselves. Without their masters, the war pets would be rendered useless.
Swish, swish, swish!
Thirty Myriad Manifestation Manifestations materialized around Zhao Xing, each radiating a powerful aura. In the blink of an eye, they surged forward, surrounding Li Tao and his five war pets at the base of the hill.
"Dark Wind Curse!"
"Earth Mine Curse!"
"Thunder Break Delusion Finger!"
"Drizzle Spell!"
"Soaring Serpent Transformation!"
Seven advanced, perfected techniques erupted simultaneously from the thirty Manifestations, each brimming with destructive power. The sheer suddenness and intensity of the attack caught Li Tao completely off guard.
"What the—!"
Before Li Tao could even react, the dazzling barrage of techniques enveloped him and his war pets in a cascade of light and energy. The overwhelming force activated the defensive mechanism of his Canghai Token, a protective artifact granted to every competitor.
Encased in a glowing blue bubble, Li Tao and his war pets were forcibly ejected from the Cave-Heaven with a faint pop.
"Senior Brother? Where's Senior Brother?" Chen He and Qian Zhong stood frozen in shock.
"What did you do to him?" Chen He stammered, his eyes darting wildly between the now-empty space where Li Tao had stood and Zhao Xing, who remained unfazed.
"Humph," Zhao Xing snorted, wasting no words on the duo. Since he'd already engaged in combat, there was no reason to hold back. Expending a bit more energy to eliminate these two wouldn't make a difference.
Before Chen He and Qian Zhong could recover, Zhao Xing seized the initiative.
Buzz!
In just three breaths, the two Beastmasters and their war pets were overwhelmed by another coordinated assault from Zhao Xing's Manifestations. Their Canghai Tokens activated in unison, ejecting them from the Cave-Heaven along with their war pets.
After the battle, Zhao Xing dusted off his hands with a satisfied smirk. "All that training has finally paid off—I can eliminate opponents in seconds."
As a Shennong, Zhao Xing wasn't supposed to be capable of such swift and decisive victories. However, his mastery of unique techniques and extraordinary resources made him an exception to the rule.
Even so, Zhao Xing's brow furrowed as he remained vigilant. During the entire skirmish, his main body had stayed back, carefully scanning the surroundings for the hidden observer. Yet, despite his efforts, he still couldn't pinpoint their exact location.
"Looks like there are some formidable competitors this time," Zhao Xing murmured. "Even with my Divine Eye Technique, I can only sense their general direction, not their precise position."
What Zhao Xing didn't know was that the observer, Ming Dan, was a late fourth-tier guardian equipped with specialized gear designed to conceal his presence. The only reason Zhao Xing could even detect Ming Dan's presence was due to the sheer strength of his life soul.
Meanwhile, high on a distant hill, Ming Dan watched the battle unfold, his face a mask of disbelief.
"Zhao Xing… a fifth-tier Beastmaster… just eliminated Li Tao and his fourth-tier war pets in an instant," Ming Dan muttered, struggling to comprehend what he'd witnessed. "This is unbelievable!"
What shocked Ming Dan even more was that Zhao Xing hadn't relied on his war pets to win the fight. Instead, it was his own overwhelming power, combined with the mysterious Myriad Manifestation Manifestations, that had secured his victory.
"How can there be so many identical Manifestations? Is it a duplication technique? An illusion? No, it can't be—they're casting high-level spells. Illusions can't do that…"
At that moment, Ming Dan's mechanical assistant, the Spirit Pearl, chimed in.
"Master, I've identified the individual. His name is Zhao Xing. He possesses three war pets: a Mountain Cat, an Blue Lion Hound, and a Spirit Illusion Goat. He currently holds the position of Supervisor of the Twin Dragon Horse Directorate. Officially registered as a fifth-tier Beastmaster."
Ming Dan stared at the report, his expression incredulous. Pointing toward Zhao Xing, he muttered, "You call this a Beastmaster? Where exactly is the 'beastmastering' in what he just did?"