The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

When the old Shennong master singled out someone for special instruction, it naturally drew the envy of many. Leaving midway through a lesson was unusual, which led some of the more sensitive clerks to speculate. Was the old Shennong preparing to take on a formal disciple? Or perhaps he was aiming for some political accomplishment by recommending someone for promotion?

Zhao Xing, however, didn't overthink it. He simply followed Xue Wenzhong to the back courtyard.

While the front courtyard felt warm like spring, the back was hot like summer, as if they had entered a different season altogether.

To the south of the courtyard stood a lush locust tree, while to the north lay a neatly arranged firewood shed. On the east side were several stacks of golden straw, and to the west, a small garden filled with various plants and flowers. A trellis beside the garden was covered with vines, green and purple intertwining together.

It looked like Xue Wenzhong had made the place his home—his dedication to his work was almost too much.

As this thought crossed Zhao Xing's mind, he stood by the straw piles as Xue Wenzhong stopped.

"Soldiers of Grass and Wood is a spell that uses plants as a medium. This spell serves as a foundation and can evolve into many higher-level offensive spells," Xue Wenzhong explained.

"It's a fundamental spell that every Military Shennong must master. There are other spells like Turning Grass into Arrows, Willow Leaf Golden Blade, and Sowing Beans into Soldiers that build upon it."

"The fact that the temple passed this spell to you suggests that you may have the potential to become a Military Shennong. Once you become a full-fledged Shennong, you might want to consider this path."

Zhao Xing knew this already, but he appreciated Xue Wenzhong's reminder. "Thank you, Old Shennong, for the advice."

Xue Wenzhong grabbed a handful of dry straw from the pile and handed it to Zhao Xing. "That said, since you're not yet an official Shennong, you're not allowed to learn military spells by regulation. But I can teach you how to make a straw puppet."

Zhao Xing nodded. The Soldiers of Grass and Wood spell was only a preliminary one. He would need to build upon it and master more intermediate and advanced spells to truly animate grass and wood into soldiers. Learning to make a straw puppet from Xue Wenzhong was already a good start, given how practical the spell was.

"The key to creating a straw puppet lies in two things: the technique and the materials. What agricultural texts have you studied?" Xue Wenzhong asked.

"I've dabbled in Herbology, Great Study of Wood, and The Compendium of Living Things," Zhao Xing replied modestly.

But Xue Wenzhong frowned. "What do you mean by 'dabbled'? Either you've memorized it all or you haven't. There's no room for uncertainty here."

Being a straightforward man, Xue Wenzhong had no patience for vague answers in professional matters. Zhao Xing quickly realized that modesty wasn't the right approach here. The old master needed to know exactly how proficient he was.

"I have it all memorized," Zhao Xing corrected himself.

"Good. Don't use wishy-washy words like that with me again. If you make a mistake in identifying materials and use poisonous ingredients by accident, the result could be disastrous."

"Yes, I understand."

"This straw is dried yuan rice straw, bundled in groups of ten. I will teach you the Liu's Compiled Technique, which consists of eighty-one techniques. It's not difficult, but if you're aiming to pass the Shennong exam this year, you will be tested on one of these eighty-one techniques. Let's begin."

Xue Wenzhong got to work immediately, using the materials at hand to demonstrate on the spot.

Zhao Xing's eyes lit up. The Liu's Compiled Eighty-One Techniques were incomplete in the later versions of the game, and by the time of the Revival Version, only forty-nine techniques remained.

The practical applications of straw puppets were immense, from combat to stealth and even auxiliary support. In Zhao Xing's previous life, many Shennong players would post online, wishing they could go back to the early game to obtain the full version.

In his previous life, Zhao Xing had only managed to collect seventy-two techniques after much effort. Even now, the temple only taught nine of them. The government only passed down enough to meet practical needs; nine techniques were sufficient for most situations. Teaching more would only scatter one's focus and add unnecessary burden. Military Shennong officers might have access to more, but not many.

To think that Xue Wenzhong had the complete set! While it might not be immediately useful, some of these techniques would gain significance as the game's versions progressed, especially in the Revival Version, where grass puppet spells became more powerful.

Luck was truly on his side!

"Watch carefully. This is the first technique. Did you catch that?"

"No, I didn't," Zhao Xing replied honestly.

Xue Wenzhong had moved too quickly while demonstrating the first puppet, and Zhao Xing had been distracted by his own thoughts, so he couldn't keep up.

"No worries, I'll show you again, slower this time." Xue Wenzhong nodded. The puppet-making process was complex, and mastering it on the first try was nearly impossible.

He then patiently repeated the demonstration at a slower pace.

This time, Zhao Xing focused entirely on the task, copying Xue Wenzhong's every move.

The yuan rice straw threads weaved like needles as Zhao Xing's fingers moved nimbly through them.

When one fully concentrates, progress comes much more easily. Plus, with the effects of the Dao Embryo Pill, Zhao Xing's memory, control over his essence, and comprehension were all gradually improving.

As Xue Wenzhong completed his puppet, the one in front of Zhao Xing also started to take shape—arms, legs, body, head…

"Not bad, not bad," Xue Wenzhong praised after examining Zhao Xing's puppet. "You only made three mistakes."

"Huh?" Zhao Xing was confused. Everything seemed perfect to him.

Without further explanation, Xue Wenzhong infused his puppet with a bit of essence.

"Crackle~" The puppet's limbs moved, following Xue Wenzhong's commands, as if it had come to life.

Zhao Xing tried the same, but his puppet remained still.

"The Liu's Compiled Technique is about constructing a framework that allows your essence to flow through the puppet. The yuan rice straw is like the meridians of a human body—add or remove even one straw, and the puppet's meridians become blocked, preventing the spell from working."

Suddenly, Zhao Xing understood. No wonder his status panel hadn't shown any progress or skill increase—he had indeed failed.

Xue Wenzhong then pulled out one straw each from the puppet's chest and armpits and discarded them. He also added another straw to the head, carefully weaving it back into place. "Try again."

This time, when Zhao Xing channeled his essence into the puppet, it moved. The puppet's golden straw body seemed to glow slightly, and a faint connection formed between it and Zhao Xing.

 [You have comprehended the Liu's Compiled Technique (Incomplete Chapter) and mastered one straw puppet-making technique.]

 [You have created a straw puppet (Reviving).]

 [Soldiers of Grass and Wood proficiency +1.]

 [Straw Puppet (Reviving):]

 [Proficiency: 1/9999]

 [ Effect: Follows commands, performing actions repeatedly in a loop.]

Old Shennong, you're amazing! Zhao Xing thought with excitement.

He hadn't expected to recover this signature technique from his days as a Shennong player so quickly.

In his previous life, the Reviving Straw Puppet was a life-saving skill! Whether in large-scale battles or simple trades, its uses were incredibly versatile.

Of course, right now the spell was limited by the era's weaker magic, but one day, it would regain its former glory!

"Stay here and keep practicing. I'll check on the others in the front courtyard and come back to teach you the second technique," Xue Wenzhong said as he prepared to leave.