The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

"Swift Wind!" Zhao Xing activated the Wind Summoning technique, not for himself, but for the straw puppet.

Additionally, he controlled the rhythm of Rainmaking, making it so that the path where the straw puppet ran had no rain.

He deliberately left two subtle differences to mislead Shen Zhui.

When Shen Zhui reached the willow tree, he was faced with two choices.

He hesitated for just a second before chasing after the straw puppet.

Sensing that Shen Zhui was running in the opposite direction, Zhao Xing's lips curled into a smile.

"What? Another straw puppet?!" Shen Zhui stared at the straw puppet in disbelief.

Now that he thought about it, the two flaws Zhao Xing left behind were clearly set up on purpose.

For him to react so quickly, without a hint of hesitation—this wasn't instinct but a premeditated trap!

"Hmph!" Shen Zhui didn't bother talking this time. He quickly slashed the straw puppet apart with his iron ruler, not giving Zhao Xing the chance to delay further, and immediately dashed off in the opposite direction.

Inside the study at the Chen residence, Chen Shijie was observing the scene, unable to contain his laughter.

Initially, he hadn't intended to watch, thinking that since Shen Zhui was a seventh-level Essence Gathering expert with a Swift nine-transformation body technique, he would capture Zhao Xing quickly.

But to his surprise, Zhao Xing used some clever tactics, keeping Shen Zhui running in circles.

"This kid is something else. With just Cloud Summoning, Rainmaking, the straw puppet technique, and Wind Summoning, he's created such an advantageous environment for himself?"

"If he doesn't join the military as a Shennong Officer, it would be such a waste of talent."

Chen Shijie put down his book, grabbed a wine flask, and sat by the window, eager to focus solely on the cat-and-mouse game unfolding below.

In the heavy rain, Shen Zhui looked at the figures running in two directions, his expression twitching.

Zhao Xing had called back the second straw puppet to create a diversion.

Now, Shen Zhui had to make another choice.

One figure had Wind Summoning to enhance speed and a rain-free path, while the other had no enhancements.

"The last time the straw puppet had enhancements, so this time, the real body must have them!" Shen Zhui picked a direction and pursued.

Ten breaths later…

Staring at the straw puppet in front of him, Shen Zhui felt utterly defeated.

"This... another straw puppet?"

"Did he predict that I would predict his move?"

Shen Zhui felt like a fool, being tricked yet again.

He had lost duels before in the Martial Division, but it had never irritated him like this.

But facing Zhao Xing? It was messing with his head.

"Zhao Xing, you! With those honest looks, who would have thought you'd be such a master of deception?"

"Hmph!" Shen Zhui let out a snort, slashing the straw puppet with a flash of white light from his iron ruler.

He quickly adjusted his mindset, refocusing on the task at hand.

"He managed to recover so quickly? After being fooled three times, he's kept his cool. Though there's some frustration, it hasn't affected his performance at all. His actions remain optimal, with immediate course corrections."

After losing contact with the third straw puppet, Zhao Xing had a newfound respect for Shen Zhui.

The way he handled himself was quite impressive.

As for making the wrong choice?

That couldn't be blamed on Shen Zhui.

It looked like a fifty-fifty guess, but Zhao Xing's chances were far greater than that!

Because he possessed a Derivation Two fortune fate!

Zhao Xing had used this method to elevate their contest to another dimension: a gamble of fortune.

"Whether he chases the puppet or me, both choices have merit. But my fortune is stronger than his," Zhao Xing thought.

This was something even Chen Shijie couldn't see.

After all, a Derivation Two fortune fate was rare in such a small county. Including the officials of higher rank, probably only County Magistrate Li Wenzheng and Chen Shijie had this level of fortune.

"However, fortune only helps a limited number of times. As the saying goes: 'Thrice lucky, fourth time lost.' Fortune's passive effect follows some unseen rules. I've already gotten three advantages in a row, which is likely the limit."

"If I had a fourth straw puppet, Shen Zhui would probably find me on his next try."

"Besides, I'm out of straw puppets."

Hearing the footsteps closing in behind him, Zhao Xing gave up resistance.

The clouds dispersed, the rain ceased, and the wind died down.

Shen Zhui's iron ruler rested against Zhao Xing's neck, and a wave of satisfaction surged through him.

"Run! Why don't you run now?"

"Brother Shen, your skills are truly impressive. I tried my best, but you caught me after just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea." Zhao Xing bowed respectfully.

Shen Zhui realized he had gotten too serious. After all, it was just a training game. Why was he holding his iron ruler to a colleague's neck?

Embarrassed, he quickly withdrew the ruler, returning it to his waist, and responded with a bow of his own, "I'm humbled, Brother Zhao. Your mastery of technique and meticulous strategy is rare among officials. I am truly impressed."

Shen Zhui wasn't just being polite; he genuinely admired Zhao Xing.

Initially, they had started just fifty meters apart. Zhao Xing was only at the third level of Essence Gathering, while Shen Zhui was at the seventh. In theory, he should have caught Zhao Xing much sooner. He was a martial expert, after all, a skilled constable with many missions under his belt!

Yet Zhao Xing had managed to hold out for this long!

"My good fortune helped me today, Brother Shen. Besides, this might be your first time facing a Shennong Officer like me. And I can tell you're adapting quickly. Your footwork in the rain was almost impossible to track. After a few more rounds of this training, I doubt I'd be able to hold out as long."

Zhao Xing's words were sincere.

Encounters between martial artists and Shennong Officers weren't frequent, and this was a unique battle. Zhao Xing had also benefited from his luck.

Moreover, his combat experience and tactics had been honed over countless challenges in his past life.

In a small place like Gucheng, his abilities were unrivaled.

The fact that Shen Zhui forced him into constant motion without a chance to craft a fifth straw puppet was no small feat.

"Brother Zhao, no need to be modest," Shen Zhui laughed. "You only used four basic spells. If you had combined more techniques, I might never have caught you."

That was true. Zhao Xing didn't deny it.

Using only the straw puppet spell could get predictable after a while. If he had more advanced techniques to mix in, he could have caused far more disruption and even potentially harmed Shen Zhui.

"Brother Shen, let's stop complimenting each other. Why don't we sit down and have a pear?" Zhao Xing pointed to the pear grove nearby.

"This… wouldn't be appropriate, would it? That's Lord Chen's pear grove." Shen Zhui hesitated.

"Lord Chen allows me to eat fifteen Heaven Origin Pears each month. I'll just count this one as part of my share. Relax, it's on me!" Zhao Xing laughed as he plucked two pears and tossed one to Shen Zhui.

"Alright then." Shen Zhui didn't hesitate this time. He could tell these pears were no ordinary fruit.

As they finished eating, Chen Shijie walked out of his study with a smile. "You sure are cheeky, using my pears to win favors? I said you could eat them, but when did I give you permission to pick them?"

"Lord Chen, the pear was for me." Shen Zhui quickly stood up, a bit flustered, and bowed. "If there's punishment, please punish me alone. Zhao Xing has nothing to do with it."

Chen Shijie, however, was secretly pleased. It seemed he had chosen the right person to accompany Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing, noticing that Chen Shijie wasn't actually upset, grinned and said, "My lord, if you're going to punish me, I accept. But could we wait just a moment?"

"Oh? What are you up to now?"

"Breaking through to Essence Gathering Stage Four."