Qiao Song was not only a master of preaching techniques, but he was also skilled at motivational speeches. After exiting his retreat, Zhao Xing found himself energized by Qiao Song's words, quickly shifting into battle mode.
As Zhao Xing walked out of the training ground and entered the competition venue, he immediately drew countless gazes—most of them from the big shots of the Beihe Star System.
Among the 105 participants from Beihe Star System, Zhao Xing received the most attention.
After all, only twelve Shennongs had made it to the third round, and among those in the Self School combat division, Zhao Xing was the only one left standing.
"The Primordial Realm mainly values the Self School, and combat-oriented Shennongs are even rarer. If someone from Beihe Star System can pass, Zhao Xing's chances of becoming a disciple of a powerful master will greatly increase," said the Beihe Lord, a hint of anticipation in his voice.
For seven consecutive tournaments, no one from Beihe Star System had entered the Primordial Realm—and it wasn't just about saving face.
It also directly affected resource distribution.
Because Beihe Star System had failed to enter the Primordial Realm for seven tournaments, Beihe Lord had gone 21,000 years without receiving any extra True Spirit Fruits from the Primordial Realm.
The Red Star Empire appointed powerhouses as lords, but it wasn't just an honorary position—there were evaluations.
If a lord focused solely on personal cultivation and ignored the development of their citizens, their performance in education would be deemed unqualified, resulting in reduced resources.
The True Spirit Fruit was an extremely valuable treasure that could enhance the True Spirit of Reincarnation Realm cultivators!
For those cultivating Reincarnation, there was nothing better than consuming True Spirit Fruits to grow stronger.
This was why Beihe Lord had instructed Qiao Song to fulfill any request the contestants had.
When Zhao Xing needed to train, he had immediately dispatched 158 Dao Domain Realm experts as sparring partners. Under normal circumstances, such generosity would have been unheard of!
"I just need one to pass," Beihe Lord thought to himself. He wasn't at the Emperor level yet, so he still greatly needed these resources.
Among the 105 contestants, 54 were his direct subordinates, and among the twelve Shennongs, six came from Beihe Realm Star.
"If one passes, I get one fruit. If two pass, I get two. The more, the better. I haven't tasted a True Spirit Fruit in over 20,000 years."
"The third round of the Primordial Assembly is still hosted by the twenty-eight top-tier star systems."
"Right now, in the Manaya Star System where I am, there are still millions of Shennong contestants competing."
As Zhao Xing made his way to the preparation hall, he gathered information about the number of participants.
"So even after two rounds of selection, the Red Star Empire still has over 200 million genius Shennongs entering the third round." Zhao Xing leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.
The hall he was in was a teleportation formation chamber, where all 105 contestants from Beihe Star System had been assigned their respective subdivisions.
Since Zhao Xing was the only Self School combat-oriented Shennong, he was the only one left in his section of the teleportation hall, with no one to talk to.
"I recall that after this round, only a million genius Shennongs will remain, meaning a 1-in-20 survival rate."
"After the fourth round, those remaining will formally enter the Primordial Realm—about 10,000 genius Shennongs in total."
"These 10,000 will be divided into six major categories: Heavenly Timing, Earthly Advantage, Self School, Support, and Combat Specialization."
"Among them, the Heavenly Timing and Earthly Advantage divisions will make up the majority. In reality, only about 2,000 or so Self School cultivators will make it through."
"These 2,000 will almost certainly become disciples of Reincarnation Realm masters. However, not all Reincarnation Realm cultivators are the same—ordinary ones might not even bother teaching disciples, while elite, seasoned, or even Emperor-level Reincarnation masters would be worlds apart in value."
"Only by performing exceptionally well in the third and fourth rounds can I earn the favor of a top-tier master."
"With a strong enough master, even a few casual benefits they grant will be invaluable for a Source Realm disciple."
"If I want to learn Zuo Qiyu's Straw Puppet Techniques, I'll need at least an Emperor-level master—or I'll have to become Zuo Qiyu's personal disciple."
The Self School was known for its eccentric personalities and a deep disdain for incompetence.
In his previous life, when Zhao Xing had first entered the Primordial Realm, he had sought out a seasoned Reincarnation cultivator named Gong Fa for guidance.
But before he could even finish asking a question, Gong Fa erupted in fury, cursing:
"Your aptitude is worse than rotten melons and split dates. A defective specimen like you has no right to learn this technique!"
That verbal assault left Zhao Xing completely stunned.
"Damn it, I asked a question because I didn't understand! If I already knew the answer, why the hell would I be here?!"
"If you didn't want to teach, then just say no! Why agree, only to rage after two sentences?!"
The attitude was beyond atrocious.
Thinking back on it now, Zhao Xing really wanted to slam Gong Fa's face into the ground and drag it across the dirt.
"The Earthly Advantage division isn't like this at all."
"In the Ancient Primordial Hill's Earthly Advantage division, if you don't understand something, they'll patiently explain it multiple times."
"Even Emperor-level Reincarnation cultivators sometimes hold discussions with Source Realm Shennongs."
In his previous life, when Zhao Xing was in the Dao Domain Realm, he had even invited an elite Reincarnation cultivator to work on engineering projects together.
When he had called upon Emperor Hongshan, it was because he knew that Hongshan had a good temper.
"Zuo Qiyu is probably the same kind of person. If I don't become his direct disciple, I need to at least find a teacher of equal status. Otherwise, I might end up getting berated until my Dao Heart collapses."
"Or, worse—he might outright ignore me, refusing to even meet me."
After waiting in silence in the preparation hall for two days, Zhao Xing finally saw Emperor Chen Jiu and Primordial Envoy Zuo Qiyu again.
"The third round of the assessment, 'Myriad Demon Star Continent,' is about to begin. All participants, prepare for teleportation."
Zhao Xing immediately stood up and bowed.
Chen Jiu did not respond, instead mechanically starting the countdown: "Ten, nine, eight…"
As the countdown began, tiny specks of starlight emerged from the ceiling, quickly filling the entire teleportation hall.
This was the Star-Shifting and Meridian-Locking Formation, a technique Zhao Xing had previously experienced while working with the Sparks Unit, so it wasn't unfamiliar to him.
As the countdown ended, Zhao Xing's vision was instantly engulfed in blinding white light.
The next moment, he could feel the pull of the earth's meridians shifting.
"Boom—"
Zhao Xing instinctively activated his Dao Field and Source Projection, while also unleashing his Treasure Mountain Divine Ability, increasing his height to the Five Extremes limit.
After a century of training, these reflexive battle instincts had already become second nature.
Because of this, his vision quickly stabilized.
"Spiritual energy index: 2.5. Chaos level: moderately low. No enemies nearby."
After confirming his surroundings, Zhao Xing immediately retrieved his Star Mirror to check the third round's assessment details.
[Beihe Star System's Zhao Xing, you have entered Myriad Demon Star Continent, Initial Star Continent No. 99.]
[The number of plant lifeforms in your initial continent is unknown. No lifeform exceeds the Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm.]
[Myriad Demon Star Continent is divided into low, mid, and high-level demon regions. Three years from now, demons and 'hostages' will be introduced into the assessment.]
[Upon introduction: Low-level Star Continents will only contain Lesser Divine Ability Realm demons.]
[Mid-level Star Continents will only contain Greater Divine Ability Realm demons.]
[High-level Star Continents will contain Dao Domain Realm demons, with the highest level reaching Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm.]
[All hostages are citizens of the Red Star Empire and classified as fragile mortals.]
[Warning: Every contestant's starting point is in a low-level Star Continent. If you lack the strength, do not attempt to fly to a higher-ranked Star Continent, or risk death if the Primordial Realm fails to teleport you in time! If you forcefully proceed, you bear full responsibility for the consequences.]
[Eliminating demons and rescuing 'clansmen' will grant points.]
Lesser Divine Ability Realm: 1-100 points
Greater Divine Ability Realm: 1,000-10,000 points
Five Elements Dao Domain Realm: 10,000-1,000,000 points
Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm: 1 billion points (fixed value)
Hostages: 10 points per rescued person. If a hostage dies, a 100-point penalty will be deducted.
Top 150,000 ranked participants will advance to the final assessment.
The third-round assessment lasts for 33 years.
After reviewing the assessment details, Zhao Xing nodded slightly. "Seems like there are no changes."
Just as in his previous life, the Self School's combat-oriented third-round theme remained the same: Hunting and Rescuing.
Hunting demons was straightforward—it tested combat strength while introducing the possibility of death. This drastically changed a contestant's mindset.
If the challenge was completely safe, then most genius contestants could perform at full capacity.
But if death was a real possibility, then the psychological pressure would cause hesitation, making contestants more cautious and restricted.
The rescue mission made just as much sense.
Even among combat-oriented Shennongs, there were different specializations. Some, like Xilin, were experts in breaking formations and rescuing people using life-based formation techniques. If the test was purely about killing speed, she would be at a huge disadvantage.
But did that mean Xilin wasn't a combatant?
Of course not! She wasn't a support-type cultivator, she had battle capabilities. If war broke out, she wouldn't be hiding in logistics, she'd be on the frontlines.
Certain battlefields forbade formations and rejected mechanized Dao Soldiers, but a Shennong like Xilin, who controlled plant-based soldiers to break formations, could be a game-changer.
Another reason for the rescue element was its moral test.
Combat-oriented Self School Shennongs couldn't focus solely on killing—they needed the mindset to save lives too.
Self School cultivators had eccentric personalities and often used living beings in their experiments, which could easily lead to twisted mentalities.
By including a rescue mission, the test served as an early reminder to contestants not to lose themselves to slaughter.
It also made it clear that the hostages were 'Red Star Empire citizens'.
If a contestant didn't even care about saving their own people, then how could they be trusted in the future?
The Primordial Realm had no interest in nurturing an evil powerhouse. What use was that?
Whether this was a genuine moral test, or just political correctness, it didn't matter. Rules were rules.
"The third round's performance also influences the final mentorship process," Zhao Xing thought. "Some geniuses rank high in points but save too few hostages—or worse, lose points because of 'hostage deaths.' As a result, some powerful Shennong cultivators refuse to take them as disciples."
"Of course, there are also cases where saving too many people backfires, but those are rare."
Zhao Xing analyzed, "I need to find the right balance—I can't be stupid about this. If rescuing people slows me down too much, it defeats the purpose. Getting public praise for 'being kind' is useless—this is a competition."
From a mentor's perspective, Zhao Xing also wouldn't want to accept a disciple who was cruel and twisted. But he also wouldn't want a naive do-gooder.
"Seems like I'll need to gather more plant-type soldiers."
Zhao Xing activated his Soul Vision, expanding his detection range.
Since this was Myriad Demon Star Continent, there would be a vast variety of demon species—and he wasn't just here to hunt them, he had to rescue people too.
A single method wouldn't be enough to handle such a complex environment.
He had to prepare for every possibility.
The Self School was all about adapting to complex challenges!
"Time to gather plant-based troops!"
Buzz—
Zhao Xing transformed into a streak of rainbow light, cutting through the night sky, swiftly gathering resources across his initial Star Continent.
"The number of plant lifeforms on the Initial Star Continent is unknown, and the highest level does not exceed the Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm. In other words, the resources gathered in this stage will determine the results in the following phases."
"Of course, I can return to the Initial Star Continent an unlimited number of times. I don't necessarily have to start hunting demons as soon as the three years are up."
"Sharpening the axe before chopping firewood—preparing and taming my plant-based troops is a crucial first step."
At this stage, the Star Mirror did not display the ranking leaderboard yet. It would only be activated after three years, once hostages and demons descended into the trial.
The Initial Star Continent was still dangerous, considering the presence of Dao Domain Realm plants. Zhao Xing did not dare to fly too fast.
"This phase of the Initial Star Continent will already create a clear gap between geniuses."
"I have to fly cautiously, but those heaven-defying prodigies—like Du Yun—could probably walk through the entire Initial Star Continent as if it were their backyard."
"The third round is a comprehensive test, making it much harder to stand out compared to the second round."
"I've already flown over a hundred million li, and I still can't name eighty percent of the species I've encountered. I have no idea what they are."
Derivation species were highly unpredictable. Their crossbreeding results were completely random, so they wouldn't appear in any books.
"Swoosh—"
Zhao Xing came to a stop.
"Searching aimlessly is pointless—too inefficient."
"Source Projection—Three Realms Void!"
"Buzz—"
With a low shout, Zhao Xing activated his Source Projection, and instantly, the projection of his Source Space spread outward.
However, the ground cast no shadow, and the surroundings appeared unchanged.
In truth, his Source Projection had already penetrated into multiple layers of the void.
"Three Realms Void is one of the Self School's World Laws."
"I have already cultivated it to Perfection in Divine Ability Realm."
"By rooting projections into the void, I can spread them more covertly, even emerging from the deep void and underground veins to counter an enemy's Source Projection."
The Void had multiple layers. After mastering Three Realms Void, Zhao Xing could even deploy projections within chaotic void currents.
In the past, if he had fallen into chaotic void currents, he would have been unable to manifest his Source Projection—let alone summon plant-based troops for survival. For example, back in the Realm Transmission, even his main body could not summon Source Projection to ensure safety.
But now, things were different.
This Self School technique adapted exceptionally well to harsh environments. Even in a highly chaotic setting like Moonfall Mausoleum, it could still be deployed effectively.
"Buzz—"
World Laws were usually integrated with Dao Fields, and Zhao Xing's current Dao Field was at Lunar Ninth Stage!
According to the spellcasting standard, a Lunar-level Dao Field was already the baseline for Five Elements Dao Domain Realm. A Ninth Stage Lunar Dao Field meant high-tier Five Elements Dao Domain Realm.
"Whoosh—"
"Chirp! Chirp!"
"Gurgle~~"
Countless whispers flooded into Zhao Xing's mind.
These were the rhythmic pulses of plant life!
"All living beings are manifestations of the Great Dao of Life. By listening to the rhythm of life, I can determine their classification."
"Over the past hundred years, I have finally grasped a trace of the Great Dao of Life—[Life Rhythm]."
By using Life Rhythm, Zhao Xing quickly identified major plant categories.
The first ones he located were from the mushroom family.
"The life rhythm of mushrooms differs from other plants. I'm so familiar with them—I didn't spend all that time harvesting mushrooms for nothing."
Zhao Xing swiftly flew to a mushroom-filled area.
"Little ones! Your Mushroom King has returned! Hahaha!"
Though the mushroom species before him had bizarre shapes, Zhao Xing still felt a sense of familiarity.
"They're all Third Realm mushrooms."
The Initial Star Continent had only allowed Third Realm contestants in. Naturally, the Primordial Realm wouldn't prepare First or Second Realm plants.
"They have self-awareness, but it's hazy, as if it was deliberately tampered with." Zhao Xing sensed the mushrooms' spiritual presence, then started gathering them.
"Buzz—"
Zhao Xing suppressed his aura and began using Three Realms Void to wrap the soil around the mushrooms.
These Third Realm mushrooms never even triggered a natural resistance.
"Three Realms Void is truly incredible."
"It's like an invisible shovel, quietly burrowing into the soil, uprooting them without a sound."
"By the time the plant life reacts, it's already too late."
"Rise!"
Whoosh—
A vast stretch of land, along with all the mushrooms growing on it, was instantly collected by Zhao Xing.
"Boom! Bang! Bang!"
Once the mushrooms were stored inside his Source Space, their consciousness resisted.
But under the erosion of the Heart Bell and the Slaughter Mind Blade, Zhao Xing quickly subdued them.
"1,549 mushrooms collected, 23 exploded, 8 were destroyed—this success rate is acceptable."
The efficiency was high. Even including travel time, the entire process only took five days.
"Keep collecting!"
Since most of the flora here were derivation species, Zhao Xing had no interest in analyzing their individual traits.
They were all destined to become research specimens.
Only the mushrooms that he trained himself would become good mushrooms.
"If I collect enough samples, my Essence Extraction Divine Ability will eventually refine some into Greater Divine Ability Realm mushrooms."
"But this time, I need to fight a prolonged battle. I can't use them for self-destruction tactics—I also have to rescue people. My methods must be more diversified."
Zhao Xing soared away, searching for his next target.
However, after flying for less than half a day, a sudden consciousness transmission echoed in his mind.
"Get out of here immediately! You've stepped into my territory! Leave now, or you'll be eliminated on the spot!"
Zhao Xing turned his head and saw a mysterious giant tree—at Lesser Divine Ability Realm—radiating a powerful spiritual presence.
"What are you looking at? Get lost! Don't interrupt my sleep!"
Zhao Xing chuckled and walked away immediately.
Not long after, a flower resembling a carnivorous bloom opened up, revealing a bewitching, stunning female figure in illusionary form.
"Young traveler, why don't you stay and play? I promise you'll experience the greatest pleasure of the mortal world, ah~~"
Zhao Xing ignored it completely and continued flying toward his destination.
"Heard the news? The lord of Hutaya Star System got involved with his own sister, and now, half of the royal heirs are all born from scandalous affairs."
"Ugh~ What about the other half?"
"The other half? Even worse, I heard—"
Zhao Xing snorted coldly and kept moving.
"Fire! Fire! I'm on fire!"
A tree with flaming leaves was wildly shaking, its branches slapping itself in an attempt to put out the blaze, only for the flames to spread even more.
"Young one, save me! I will help you pass the third round!"
"Don't leave! I'm at Dao Domain Realm, and I even know some loopholes in the test!"
…
"Have you heard that clang, clang, clang, clang song?"
"Which one?"
"The one that goes clang, clang, clang…"
…
As soon as Zhao Xing entered the forest region, the previously silent night sky erupted into chaos.
The Primordial Realm deliberately implanted consciousness into some worthless trees on the Initial Star Continent, shaping them into derivation species while also making sure their cultivation level couldn't be easily identified.
Some pretended to be pitiful, some were just obnoxiously foul-mouthed, while others behaved in bizarre, nonsensical ways…
Their sole purpose? To waste the participants' time.
Would Zhao Xing fall for such petty tricks?
With his status panel, he could tell at a glance whether a plant was useful or not.
This was the advantage of "cheating" with an information interface!
"The Shennong of the Self School who designed these trials really went all out trying to interfere with the contestants. If I manage to stay long enough in the Primordial Realm, I'll probably have to take on this kind of task too."
"What a pain…"
The constant buzzing voices in his ears were beginning to get annoying.
Some of them even carried illusory attacks. While they couldn't harm him, they were incredibly disruptive to mental focus.
"Daoist friend…"
Suddenly, another voice called out.
This time, Zhao Xing paused.
"Three-Sun Azurewood?" Zhao Xing looked ahead.
There stood a massive tree, its azure and golden hues interwoven like flowing metal and jade.
"That's right, Daoist friend, you have keen eyesight," a hoarse, ancient voice resonated from the tree.
"A tree at Greater Divine Ability Realm… excellent." A glint of killing intent flashed in Zhao Xing's eyes. "Perfect material for a Giant Sun Clone."
"I'll be borrowing some of your materials!"
"Big! Big! Big!!"
Zhao Xing enlarged himself instantly, reaching his Three Extremes form.
Then, activating Treasure Light Divine Ability, he reached out with a massive hand, unleashing the Five-Finger Mountain Divine Ability upon the Three-Sun Azurewood.
"Daoist friend, wait! I never said I wouldn't lend it—Boom!"
Before the tree could finish speaking, a Five-Finger Mountain came crashing down.
"Rumble—"
The gold-azure tree activated a protective barrier, but it was still shaken violently, shedding a torrent of golden and azure leaves and splintered branches.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The frequency of collisions increased.
Treasure light flashed across the night sky, exploding like fireworks.
"Daoist friend, stop! I'll lend it to you, alright?!" The Three-Sun Azurewood roared in frustration.
What kind of lunatic was this?! He had already agreed to lend, yet he was still getting beaten up!
But Zhao Xing had already fully committed to his attack—there was no stopping now.
Lending? No, he wanted everything!
The Three-Sun Azurewood's heartwood, leaves, branches, and roots—all were premium substitutes for Giant Sun Clone materials.
He had been stressing over material shortages, and now, they had delivered themselves to his doorstep.
"Slaughter Mind Blade!"
In Zhao Xing's eyes, blades of thought manifested, piercing into the Three-Sun Azurewood's consciousness, eroding its awareness.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Zhao Xing's continuous attacks shook the tree as his Slaughter Mind Blade further disrupted its mind.
"CURSE YOUR ANCESTORS FOR TEN THOUSAND GENERATIONS! YOU STUPID, WORTHLESS MUTT! MAY HEAVEN STRIKE YOU DOWN—!" The Three-Sun Azurewood bellowed in rage.
"Such a filthy mouth… I wonder which Shennong implanted this personality?" Zhao Xing thought.
A Greater Divine Ability Realm tree had an incredibly strong resistance to subjugation.
Its offensive power wasn't outstanding, but its defensive capabilities were solid.
Rather than taming it, Zhao Xing preferred harvesting its materials.
"CURSE—!"
With one final curse, the Three-Sun Azurewood succumbed to Zhao Xing's onslaught.
"Crack!"
Zhao Xing swiftly toppled the tree and extracted its heartwood, along with its leaves, branches, and roots, packing them up neatly.
"Cheap tricks, but you dared to flaunt them in front of me?"
With the materials secured, Zhao Xing immediately moved on to find his next target.
…
Half a month later, near a freezing pool beneath a towering waterfall…
"Rise!"
Zhao Xing reached into the icy depths, grasping a serpentine black vine resembling a Soaring Serpent.
"Heave!"
Empowered by tremendous strength, his body radiating golden and azure light, Zhao Xing yanked the vine out by force.
"Perfect. This Realm Thorn Vine is already at its peak, and the thorns it produces will be excellent tools for breaking formations."
A Straw Puppet Clone grabbed hold of the long vine, then soared skyward, heading toward Zhao Xing's main body.
…
As time passed, three years flew by in the blink of an eye.