The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

In the fifteenth year of Jingxin, at the end of May, in the eastern suburbs of Gucheng.

The scorching sun blazed down, sweat pouring like rain, as Zhao Xing bent over to plant rice seedlings in the paddy field.

With each seedling he planted, a series of small numbers appeared beside him.

[Successfully planted a rice seedling, Basic Cultivation Skill proficiency +1]

[Successfully planted a rice seedling, Basic Cultivation Skill proficiency +1]

[Successfully planted a rice seedling, Basic Cultivation Skill proficiency +1]

...

[Basic Cultivation Skill has reached its maximum level, you have comprehended the beginner spell "Vigorous Growth"]

[Vigorous Growth: Beginner Spell]

[Progress: (1/9999)]

[Effect: Accelerates nutrient absorption and shortens the time required for plants to mature.]

After planting for another two quarters of an hour, Zhao Xing was drenched in sweat and went to the field ridge to drink some water.

However, the intense sunlight and the heat in his heart couldn't be calmed.

So, he pointed towards the sky.

"Buzz~"

A golden light emerged from his fingertip and dissipated about three or four meters above his head.

Immediately after, a grayish-white cloud appeared, hovering above his head.

[You have activated the spell 'Cloud Movement', and this time the spell triggered a blessing of fortune, doubling its effect. The cloud now extends ten meters.]

[Beginner Spell 'Cloud Movement' proficiency +2]

"Ah, that's much better."

The cloud blocked the sun like a giant parasol, casting a shadow over Zhao Xing.

As Zhao Xing walked, the cloud followed him overhead.

In the eastern suburbs of Guxian, this was the government's public farmland, managed by the Shennong Division. A portion of the officials' food and clothing came from this land.

With the Grain in Ear solar term approaching, small officials like Zhao Xing from the Shennong Division were scattered throughout the eastern suburbs.

Because if the Grain in Ear term passed without planting, planting would be futile.

Moreover, the harvest from the public farmland not only determined their food but also whether they could be promoted this year. It was the difference between remaining a low-ranking clerk without official status or becoming a full-fledged Shennong official — a stark contrast in treatment.

Since crossing over to this world a year ago, Zhao Xing realized that he seemed to be in an early version of that mysterious game — the same game that suddenly appeared on Earth in his past life, without a name, only an entry. Inside, it was like a real world, with an incredible degree of freedom and realism, causing a massive sensation.

Currently, it was the reign of Emperor Jing of the Great Zhou, during the Flourishing Dynasty Version, when the overall environment was relatively stable. Compared to the later versions, the safety factor was almost the highest.

The advantage was that spiritual energy had not yet fully revived, and combat power hadn't reached insane levels. There wouldn't be any powerful figures capable of destroying cities with a mere wave of their hand.

After all, he was no longer a player, and there was no mention on the interface of a revival option.

The downside was that the world was too stable, and his starting status was rather average. It was difficult to find opportunities within this stable social order as an NPC.

"In my past life, it only took two or three days to change professions. Now, I've spent almost half a year without seeing any hope."

"The starting identity wasn't great either, an orphan raised in a charitable institution, later adopted by a wealthy family, with a fairly mediocre situation."

"I've heard that some players in my past life were lucky enough to be born into noble or royal families at the start..."

"Never mind, I'll rest for a bit and then push myself harder. Whether I can complete my profession change this year will mostly depend on how well this field performs."

Zhao Xing found a straw pile, grabbed some rice stalks, and prepared to rest and recover his energy.

But before he could relax, a young man in a simple uniform with a straw hat waved at him from a nearby straw stack: "Brother Zhao, come over here."

Zhao Xing walked over quickly, heading toward the young man: "Ziyu, are you here to rest too?"

Chen Ziyu was also a low-ranking official in the Shennong Division, and among the people Zhao Xing had known since crossing over a year ago, he was the closest.

Their relationship was both as colleagues and fellow students because at this stage, the focus was not on work but more on learning and striving to pass the official examination, so they wouldn't have to continue doing this backbreaking work.

Beside Chen Ziyu lay another young man named Qian Dong, another familiar face.

Chen Ziyu, chewing on a blade of grass, enthusiastically greeted Zhao Xing: "I just got here. Brother, take advantage of my cloud for shade; no need to waste any more of your energy."

"Alright."

Nodding, Zhao Xing dispersed his own cloud and lay down next to Chen Ziyu.

As soon as he lay down, he heard Chen Ziyu complain: "It's just the beginning of summer, and yet the weather in Gucheng is already so scorching. There isn't a single big tree left in the eastern suburbs since the Shennong Division officials chopped them all down. If we want shade, we have to rely on our own spells."

Zhao Xing chuckled, "Well, it's a form of training, isn't it?"

"If you want to cool down, it's not that hard. Watch me." Qian Dong tossed his grass hat aside, pointed dramatically towards the sky, and shouted, "Wind, come!"

Chen Ziyu was surprised: "Brother Qian, have you already learned the 'Summon Wind' technique?"

Qian Dong grinned mischievously, then picked up his grass hat and fanned it at Chen Ziyu: "Look, isn't the wind already here?"

Realizing he'd been fooled, Chen Ziyu grabbed a handful of dry grass and started tickling Qian Dong's neck.

"Qian Dong, how dare you trick me? If you don't fan me for a full quarter of an hour, I won't let you off!"

"Aiya, stop tickling! Ziyu, calm down. I'll fan you, I'll fan you!"

As the two laughed and joked, the cloud above them wobbled. Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel exasperated at the scene.

On such a hot day, could they be any less ambiguous?

Just as he was about to speak, Qian Dong said first, "Alright, if you don't stop, Brother Zhao will scold us for being idle and unserious again."

Zhao Xing said lazily, "No, go ahead. You should keep going. Best if you fight to the point where you're both seriously injured. With fewer people competing for the Shennong official position, I'll have a better chance of getting promoted this year."

"Brother, you're being so sarcastic again..."

After resting for a quarter of an hour, Zhao Xing felt his energy gradually returning and planned to take a short nap before resuming his efforts to change professions.

However, at that moment, the cloud above suddenly dissipated, and a glaring light pierced his eyelids.

"What happened, Ziyu? You didn't even warn me before dispersing the cloud..." Qian Dong was still complaining when Zhao Xing propped himself up on his elbows, squinting at the scene ahead.

A massive dark cloud, spanning nearly a thousand meters, was slowly rolling in from the distance, and beneath that cloud, on top of a haystack, stood a tall figure.

The Cloud Movement spell had an exclusive nature, and it was this person who had dispersed and absorbed Chen Ziyu's cloud.

Suddenly interrupted during his spellcasting, Chen Ziyu's body trembled slightly, suffering some minor damage to his energy due to the backlash.

"That hypocrite Li Chengfeng again! Damn him!" Chen Ziyu cursed angrily, glaring at the figure on the haystack.

Why call him a hypocrite?

Because Li Chengfeng's voice, amplified by the Summon Wind spell, spread in all directions.

"Dear colleagues, you are welcome to rest under my cloud. In a moment, there will be a light rain to wash away the dust for everyone."

Not only did Li Chengfeng disrupt Chen Ziyu's spell, but he also affected several others in the process.

Yet, he still managed to rally most of the crowd, saving them energy, and many applauded, praising Li Chengfeng's gentlemanly demeanor.

"That guy is disgusting! He loves showing off and doesn't care about anyone else's feelings. I once confronted him about it, and others said I was being petty, jealous of his reputation as a gentleman… Jealous of him? Pah!" Chen Ziyu spat bitterly.

Qian Dong also shook his head, "If he were truly a gentleman, it would be fine. But he only mingles with the rich kids, acting all high and mighty. He's not even a full-fledged Shennong official yet, but he already behaves like he's above everyone else. If he becomes our superior next year, who knows what kind of trouble we'll be in. Sigh..."

Zhao Xing agreed with their opinions and patted both of them on the shoulder, offering some comfort: "I don't like him either, but complaining won't help. Strength is what truly matters. Keep working hard, and one day we'll have a chance to slap him in the face."