Chapter 16: The Spell of Unleashing Rain
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After the Jingxin era came the Great Governance era, with at least several decades between them.
As a chaotic faction, the Profound Heaven Sect had always sought to overthrow the established order.
Zhao Xing first heard of them during the Great Governance era under Emperor Jing. They had fallen silent during the Martial Emperor’s reign, only to become active again toward its end, flourishing in the Revival version.
The reason they had left such a deep impression on him was that this chaotic faction loved stirring up trouble. For Agriculturalists who preferred a quiet, stable life, they were extraordinarily troublesome.
After thinking it over for a moment, Zhao Xing decided to set the matter aside.
He had no quest panel now, only his personal panel. Back in his former life, whenever he caught even the slightest hint of a quest, he would take part immediately. If there was any advantage to be gained, all the better.
But now, he was merely a tiny ant, and he had no resurrection function. In this life, so long as nothing interfered with his farming and pursuit of immortality, Zhao Xing had no intention of joining in the excitement.
“It’s better not to meddle in worldly affairs. As long as it doesn’t come looking for me, what do I care whether it’s the Profound Heaven Sect or the Profound Earth Sect?”
After obtaining the government approval document and bidding Pang Fei farewell, Zhao Xing headed straight for the temple.
He did not even bother paying his respects to Earl East Lake, lest the man try to make him practice martial arts again. Instead, he went directly to the Hall of the True Lord of Cao Creek.
The temple usher was somewhat surprised to see Zhao Xing. It had only been a short while—why was he back already?
“The document is in order. Go on in.”
“Thank you.”
Zhao Xing hurried into the hall and sat cross-legged upon a meditation mat. There were still seven or eight people inside, practitioners of various professions, but not one of them made a sound. They merely sat in silence with their eyes closed, receiving the teaching.
The instant Zhao Xing closed his eyes, he saw a flash of golden light. In the next moment, he seemed to find himself standing upon a vast grassland.
Different manifestations of the teaching signified different spells. Zhao Xing had no idea which spell this scene represented, so he silently prayed:
“I want Rainmaking. I want Rainmaking. Please, True Lord, don’t get it wrong. I’m counting on you...”
Perhaps the True Lord had heard his prayer. Before long, a dark cloud began to form above the grassland.
“Rumble!”
Lightning flashed and thunder boomed.
Patter, patter~
A chill spread around Zhao Xing. Soon, raindrops fell upon his body—or seemed to fall directly into his mind.
“Whoosh...”
The rain grew heavier and heavier.
Calling the clouds, summoning thunder, and making rain—the three spells were cast one after another, cycling endlessly as they appeared within Zhao Xing’s mind.
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No one knew how much time had passed before Zhao Xing opened his eyes. A new spell had appeared in his mind:
[Rainmaking]
[Rainmaking: Basic Spell]
[Progress: (0/9999)]
[Effect: Precise control over rainfall.]
Zhao Xing cupped his hands toward the True Lord and silently withdrew from the main hall.
The temple usher glanced at Zhao Xing’s departing back, muttering inwardly, “How strange. He prayed for rainmaking and actually comprehended Rainmaking. Does the True Lord truly grant this man every request?”
.........
With the Rainmaking spell in hand, Zhao Xing was in excellent spirits.
“What kind of Agriculturalist can’t make it rain?”
“The key to Rainmaking lies in the word ‘making.’ It allows one to control the amount of rain precisely. If another profession used it, how much rain fell would be entirely up to the heavens.”
Some professions could also produce rain, but their spells had different names and effects, and none was as useful to an Agriculturalist.
For example, the temple usher he had just seen possessed a spell called [Pray for Rain]. It was difficult to control the exact amount of rainfall. To accomplish that, one had to [Open an Altar] and prepare sacrificial offerings. No matter how much the ritual was simplified, one still had to carry at least a few sheets of yellow paper.
“Teacher, I’ve newly comprehended Rainmaking. Please give me your guidance.”
Having learned the spell, Zhao Xing hurried back to the Locust-Willow Courtyard of the Agricultural Bureau.
The old Agriculturalist, Xue Wenzhong, smiled. “You certainly have good luck. Whatever you wish for seems to come to you. Of the Four Weather Arts, you now have the complete set.”
Of course I have good luck. I inherited part of Great Li’s fortune and have already reached the Second Evolution. How many people in the entire Valley City have reached the Second Evolution? Apart from the county magistrate and the heads of the various institutions, probably very few.
“There’s no trick to Rainmaking. You simply need to practice more. Call the clouds, raise the wind, summon thunder, and make rain. Cast them in sequence and exercise precise control over the spells. Naturally, you’ll learn to regulate the rainfall.”
“The only thing you need to consider is the influence of the surrounding environment.” Xue Wenzhong explained, “For example, the Locust-Willow Courtyard is perpetually in the Beginning of Spring season, when moisture is abundant. If you cast Rainmaking here, the eventual rainfall may be greater than you expect.”
“If you go to the eastern suburbs, where the climate is dry, the amount of rain may be less than you expect.”
Zhao Xing naturally knew all this. In fact, he understood it even better than Xue Wenzhong. In his previous life, Agriculturalist players had faced far harsher environments during the Age of Calamities and had been tricked by such factors countless times. The memory alone brought tears to his eyes.
For that reason, Zhao Xing had devised an entire formula of “influence factors.” Even in the Vital Tide version, reputed to be the most hostile to Agriculturalist players, he had been able to maintain an extremely small margin of error.
He simply had no idea whether it would still work now that he was no longer a player.
The next step was practice.
Zhao Xing practiced Rainmaking in the courtyard.
During his first casting, Xue Wenzhong stood beside him and offered guidance.
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By the third casting, Xue Wenzhong had moved to the steps.
By the tenth, the old Agriculturalist was sitting on a stool.
After that, Xue Wenzhong simply reclined in a deck chair with his eyes closed, resting.
There was no need to teach Zhao Xing anymore. He had never seen anyone comprehend things so quickly.
“This boy would be struck by lightning if he weren’t an Agriculturalist,” Xue Wenzhong exclaimed sincerely when the practice session ended.
Still, his spoken advice remained encouraging.
“Your Rainmaking still has many shortcomings. The environment can be an interference, but it can also be an aid.”
“That little puddle by the wall—couldn’t you make use of it and save some of your vital energy? Why do you always insist on opposing the environment?”
Zhao Xing opened his mouth. He wanted to explain, but he could not.
He could hardly say that in the future, the environment would become so harsh that borrowing its power would be extremely difficult. Being able to resist it directly would already be an achievement. At his present level, bringing up such matters would be premature.
“Your admonition is well taken.”
...........
He had another half-hour scheduled for practicing other spells, but a servant suddenly came looking for Xue Wenzhong. The man rushed over and whispered something to him.
Xue Wenzhong’s expression barely changed, but his words carried a trace of unease.
“That is enough additional practice for today. I may not have time tomorrow, so you must continue honing your skills on your own.”
With that, Xue Wenzhong followed the household servant away.
What had happened?
Zhao Xing was puzzled.
But since the old Agriculturalist had said nothing, Zhao Xing did not feel it appropriate to ask.
After returning home that evening, Zhao Xing tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. He could not shake the feeling that something was wrong.
He had not wanted to investigate, but the old Agriculturalist was one of the keys to his becoming a full member of the profession. If something happened to him, the other Agriculturalists might not be willing to recommend Zhao Xing.
“I’ll have to make inquiries tomorrow. If something really has happened, I should make preparations as early as possible.”
Having made up his mind, Zhao Xing pasted two more talismans on the wall and entered the Great Dream Academy for a look. There was still no movement within the sea of clouds, so he withdrew and went to sleep with a peaceful mind.
Unexpectedly, early the next morning, he heard some bad news.
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