Agricultural Spells are countless, and when divided by schools of thought, they can be categorized into three types:
Namely: the Heavenly Timing School, the Earthly Advantage School, and the Self-Centered School.
The main idea of the Heavenly Timing School is ‘knowing the Heavenly Timing, setting the Heavenly Timing, and changing the Heavenly Timing.’
They believe that the most important condition for plant growth is Heavenly Timing.
In ancient times, the Xuanhuang Continent experienced the ‘Era of Calamities,’ where celestial phenomena were extremely unstable.
A single day could encompass all four seasons, and a year could bring vast changes.
Even now, there are many places on the Xuanhuang Continent that still experience such chaotic celestial phenomena.
For example, mountain ranges that are perpetually ablaze with fire, and ice seas that never thaw.
In other places, mornings are scorching hot, enough to melt metal, while evenings see water freeze into ice, turning things into zombies.
Some areas are not as extreme, but they can still experience ‘disordered seasons’ and ‘reversed solar terms.’
Therefore, the Agricultural Heavenly Timing School believes that the direction of Spell research is to understand Heavenly Timing, change Heavenly Timing, and establish Heavenly Timing, creating a stable farming environment for the local people.
The most famous Spell Secret Manual is the 《Solar Term Edict》.
After Cultivating it, one can regulate celestial phenomena and set local solar terms; the Spells within are all centered around this idea.
The core idea of the Earthly Advantage School, on the other hand, is that Heavenly Timing cannot be reversed, and celestial phenomena cannot be changed; with that effort, it is better to think about how to transform barren lands into auspicious feng shui locations.
Based on this, plants are then sown, and under the dual influence of Earthly Advantage and the plants themselves, the adaptable living environment gradually extends outwards.
As long as the soil is improved to be fertile enough, flowers and fruits can blossom even in the harshest weather.
Little do they know that delicate snow lotuses can bloom even on ice mountains!
The classic Secret Manuals of the Earthly Advantage School include 《Houtu Reversion Method》 and 《Earth Treasury Primordial Gate Array》; this school is skilled in using tools and arrays, and is very close to the Engineering School.
As for the ‘Self-Centered School,’ they state that all of you are trash.
What Heavenly Timing and Earthly Advantage? They are all external things; being strong in oneself is true strength!
The Self-Centered School believes that plants themselves are a miracle, full of tenacious vitality, capable of adapting to all environments.
By collecting rare flowers and exotic grasses, divine wood and immortal branches from all over the world, selecting the best for cultivation, and repeating this for several generations, one can obtain seeds capable of resisting all external factors.
The Self-Centered School believes that Spells should develop in the direction of ‘cultivating stronger and stronger plants.’
The most famous Secret Manual is 《Myriad Growth Chart》.
“Currently, the Heavenly Timing School is prevalent and occupies the mainstream thought, while the Earthly Advantage School and the Self-Centered School can only take a secondary role.”
“It is only when the Revival Version comes that these two schools will truly shine, even giving rise to Void Realm Seeds that take root in the Void Realm, and miraculous soils that can make plants evolve several stages.” On the way to the temple, Zhao Xing had already decided on his main Cultivation direction.
Mainly because he currently does not have the conditions to pursue the Earthly Advantage School and the Self-Centered School.
“My current mobility is too weak; if I have the ability to travel far in the future, I might look for some treasures of this era, such as the Lava Earth Fire Lotus, the Bloodthirsty Vine, and several parasitic and exotic species preserved in ancient tombs.”
“As for now… whatever I can get, I’ll take it.”
Gucheng Temple is a county-level temple.
The statues inside are not some ethereal mythical deities; a small portion are famous historical figures, and the majority are deceased civil and military officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Either because of their bravery and skill in battle during their lives, or because they governed and benefited a region, they were elevated into the Great Zhou Temple.
Among them, civil and military officials from the Taizu Dynasty were the most numerous.
For example, the main hall Zhao Xing was currently looking at was dedicated to ‘Earl Donghu’ from the Taizu period.
Born in Donghu, Gucheng, he made a living by fishing in his youth. During the period when Taizu conquered a thousand states and unified the chaotic world, he joined Duke Zhao’s command, becoming a chariot driver, and was eventually granted the title of Earl Donghu.
After returning to his hometown, he then dispersed his family wealth, built bridges and roads, transformed his hometown, and even voluntarily gave up most of his land for refugees to Cultivate, which allowed Gucheng to develop from a mere town into a county.
After his death, he entered this temple to enjoy incense offerings and became a Yin God.
“Earl Donghu was skilled in martial arts; I seek Spells, so it’s not suitable to ask him. This period is most suitable for the development of the Agricultural Official profession, not other professions. I have taken the Dao Embryo Pill; if he sees my good foundation and thinks I should practice martial arts, and I randomly get some martial arts Secret Manual, it would be a waste of time.”
Zhao Xing did not enter the hall; he merely lit incense and bowed before the bronze censer outside, then intended to leave.
“Dong!”
Inside Earl Donghu’s divine hall, the bronze bell automatically rang, carrying a strong will that clearly entered Zhao Xing’s mind, as if to retain him, or perhaps to persuade him not to leave.
Zhao Xing’s expression stiffened, not expecting that a bow from outside the hall would cause such a stir. Earl Donghu actually manifested and actively tried to retain him?
The Dao Embryo Pill truly was that amazing… Zhao Xing cupped his hands again and quickened his pace, running away.
“Alas.”
After Zhao Xing left, the divine statue emitted a faint sigh.
The temple priest, who was meditating in the hall, looked out the door with some confusion, only to find it empty.
He then looked up at the divine statue, but there was no revelation, so he could only scratch his head and continue meditating.
With this interlude, Zhao Xing no longer dared to casually bow anywhere.
He quickened his steps and arrived at a side hall—the Caoxi True Monarch Hall.
“Caoxi, in the early days of the founding of the nation, served as the Director of Land and Agriculture for Nanyang Commandery. Because he vigorously promoted the Engineering School’s ‘Reversion Waterwheel’ and built thirteen canals in Pinghu, combining Engineering School arrays to manage floods, he was classified as an outstanding figure of the Agricultural Earthly Advantage School.”
“However, he was knowledgeable in many schools, not only authoring 《Caoxi’s Agricultural Treatise》 but also being a practical doer, so bowing to him should not go wrong.”
“It is you, old man.”
Zhao Xing handed the county yamen’s approval document to the guardian priest of the hall. The priest’s position was from the Directorate of Ceremonial, primarily responsible for the procedures of sacrificial rites.
He was the ‘Spirit Medium’ profession in the players’ parlance, an early ‘Divine Official’ profession, because this profession could invite deities to possess them and summon Yin Gods to fight.
Once upon a time, Zhao Xing also wanted to transfer to it to have some fun, but with the destruction of the Luck Dynasty, its combat power was greatly reduced, and in the Revival Version, becoming strong was extremely difficult and complex, so he could only give up.
Now, it was even more impossible for him to abandon the Agricultural Official profession for a moment of pleasure to choose this early Divine Official profession.
“The document is fine. After entering, sit on the prayer mat and pray with a calm mind.” The guardian priest, though not old, spoke with an air of seniority: “Remember, Spells cannot be forced. To gain anything is already a great fortune. If you gain nothing, it proves your strength is not yet sufficient; you can come again next time. Do not harbor distracting thoughts.”
This was a reminder to Zhao Xing not to develop any obsessions or resentments if he failed to obtain Spells, because Yin Gods are very sensitive to thoughts related to themselves.
“Yes, thank you, Priest.” Zhao Xing took a deep breath and stepped into the Caoxi True Monarch Hall.
