To save time, the free inquiry session was conducted in small groups, where friends with similar questions would ask together.
Xue Wenzhong moved among the crowd, sometimes explaining, sometimes letting the clerks perform the exercises themselves.
The courtyard gradually filled with winds, swirling clouds, and thunder, while a light rain fell, making the atmosphere lively.
During the wait, Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong couldn't stay idle and began teasing their fellow practitioners.
"Brother Zhou, why does your 'Raising Wind' always blow into people's pants? You've probably tormented many young ladies with this trick."
"Brother Ye, your 'Thunder Strike' is mediocre at best, its sound won't even surpass your snoring. You need to practice more diligently."
"Oh wow, Brother Cao, your 'Bringing Rain' looks like a woman peeing, and it's even split... Hahaha!"
"..."
The surrounding laughter didn't cease. Those being teased were not angry but instead bantered back, adding some fun to the otherwise dull cultivation.
However, as the boys continued their conversation, it gradually veered towards matters of men and women, becoming more and more animated.
"Speaking of this year's Spring Festival, I passed by a residential house in the town and suddenly heard a sound from within. A man whispered hoarsely, 'Darling, it's coming out, push harder~', then a woman complained in a sweet but annoyed voice, 'Father-in-law on top, me at the bottom, how am I supposed to push? Better switch positions.'"
"Curious, I peeked in. Guess what?" Qian Dong looked at the surrounding boys with a sly grin, deliberately pausing to build suspense.
"Ew, father-in-law and daughter-in-law? Could it be an old pervert? Brother Qian, stop it, don't dirty our ears."
"Brother Cao, you were listening the most attentively, and now you're pretending? If you don't want to hear, you can leave. I, being a common man, love to listen."
"You're killing me with suspense. What happened? Just tell us, Brother Qian."
The boys laughed and talked earnestly. Zhao Xing couldn't help but shake his head, not because of his friends, but because Old Minister of Agriculture Xue Wenzhong had silently walked up behind Qian Dong.
"What did you see?"
The sudden elder voice startled the boys. Qian Dong turned around, his face turning blue and red, unable to speak properly, "N-nothing."
Xue Wenzhong's face wrinkled into a half-smile, "They can hear it, but I can't? I must hear it. Otherwise, none of you will relax. All of you go and cut grass on the back hill."
Qian Dong stammered, Chen Ziyu averted his eyes, and the rest turned their heads. Only Zhao Xing watched with a look of detachment, as if it didn't concern him.
Xue Wenzhong saw this and pointed at Zhao Xing, "Zhao Xing, if they can't say it, you will."
Zhao Xing, unhurried, said, "Mr. Xue, what Qian Dong mentioned was just a common thing. It was a father-in-law and daughter-in-law digging up a silver box left by their ancestors in a dry well. He was merely overthinking it."
"Smart boy." Xue Wenzhong laughed.
Qian Dong quickly said, "Yes, that's exactly what I meant to say."
"Right, we all understood it that way." The other boys chimed in.
Seeing that the Old Minister of Agriculture did not make things difficult for them, Qian Dong swiftly changed the topic, "Mr. Xue, recently when I perform 'Moving Clouds', it feels a bit unsmooth, varying in size and very unstable. Could you please guide me?"
"Perform the spell and let me see."
Without hesitation, Qian Dong pointed above his head, and a grayish-white cloud appeared two meters above, swaying like a drunk man's umbrella.
Xue Wenzhong observed for a moment, then motioned for Qian Dong to stop, "Your Primordial Energy can't stabilize, causing the spell's effectiveness to fluctuate."
Qian Dong listened attentively.
"But you needn't worry. This is a normal phenomenon." Xue Wenzhong grasped Qian Dong's hand, brushed his wrist twice, then released it. "You are close to entering the Second Order of Gathering Essence, just a step away from breakthrough."
"The same applies to most of you. You are close or have already encountered this. But don't panic. Just go back and stabilize your Primordial Energy, and you'll be fine soon."
"Thank you, Mr. Xue."
"Hmm?" When Xue Wenzhong's gaze fell on Zhao Xing, he made a light noise of surprise and then pulled Zhao Xing's hand over.
The others, unsure of what was happening, all turned to look.
A moment later, Xue Wenzhong's brows relaxed, revealing a smile.
"Well done, you have indeed entered the Second Order of Gathering Essence, ahead of the others."
The others looked at Zhao Xing with envy. Chen Ziyu's face lit up with joy for his brother, and Qian Dong nudged his shoulder with a knowing expression.
Zhao Xing remained calm. He had a panel that informed him the moment he broke through, unlike the other clerks who were unsure of their own progress.
........
Each of them took turns asking their questions. When it was Zhao Xing's turn, he mentioned that he had recently acquired three new spells at the divine temple and asked for Xue Wenzhong's guidance.
"Raising Wind and Moving Clouds feel alike. Both gather Primordial Energy and follow the established route to manipulate the forces of heaven and earth. However, Raising Wind is harder, as it involves directions. The casting process needs to be more precise. Try using three parts of the Primordial Energy from Moving Clouds to control the wind, starting from the northwind."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xing began casting the spell immediately.
His fingertips directed Primordial Energy to the north, and soon a wind started blowing.
Initially, it was just a gentle breeze, but it gradually grew stronger, blowing people's hair straight.
Xue Wenzhong's expression turned somewhat surprised, as Zhao Xing's control over the wind was very stable and the wind force strong, nothing like a beginner's casting.
If Zhao Xing were a novice, the wind should have made hair flutter up and down, not blow it straight.
"Why didn't I notice his talent before?"
Xue Wenzhong took a keen interest and said, "Try the other directions."
Zhao Xing nodded lightly, pointing his fingers to the east, south, and west in turn. The north was clear, but other directions had other clerks casting spells, causing significant interference.
However, the initial effects of the Tao Embryo Pill allowed Zhao Xing to control Primordial Energy better than others, forcefully eliminating interferences.
At this time, in the courtyard, whenever he commanded the wind, no one else could control it, leaving the others in a mess of turbulent air.
"Good, that's enough." Xue Wenzhong, seeing this, satisfactorily instructed Zhao Xing to stop.
The other clerks, initially confused, realized the anomalies came from the Old Minister of Agriculture's direction and continued their own practice without further thought.
Next, the Old Minister of Agriculture asked Zhao Xing to try performing 'Thunder Strike.'
"Moving Clouds contain Yin and Yang energies. With the Yuan Yu Technique, they combine to form rain or clash to create thunder. The key is..."
"Boom!"
Before he could finish, a thunderclap echoed through the courtyard.
The thunder was so loud it felt like it exploded right next to their ears.
This time, everyone's eyes turned to behold Zhao Xing.
Above Zhao Xing's head appeared a gray-white cloud mass, the gray and white colors rolling and colliding like war chariots.
In the next moment, a flash of violet lit up, followed by another resounding thunder!
"Ziyu, brother's thunder is a bit too loud, isn't it?" Qian Dong stared dumbstruck at the sky.
"I think so too. Could the gap between the First and Second Orders of Gathering Essence be this vast?" Chen Ziyu was bewildered, mostly stunned by the thunder.
Xue Wenzhong opened his mouth but had no words.
All of that explanation was unnecessary.
If Zhao Xing hadn't had his application form with him, Xue Wenzhong might have thought he had practiced for a long time.
Based on these two spells alone, how could Zhao Xing be a beginner?
"Mr. Xue, please guide me." Zhao Xing withdrew his spell, awaiting Xue Wenzhong's advice, but the latter merely smiled, "Raising Wind and Thunder Strike, you have a talent. You've already entered the ranks. What I was going to say has mostly been talked about. A bit of practice, and you will master them."
"As for the Grass and Trees are Soldiers Skill... follow me."