Chapter 1232: Picking Up a Imperial Heaven (Second Update)
Compared to the Southern Heaven, Yan Kang was many times smaller, almost beyond comparison.
When Bai Yuqiong arrived in Yan Kang, it happened to be the harvest season. She saw many small cultivators at the Five Luminaries and Six Harmonies realms helping the common people harvest crops, thresh grain, plow fields, and irrigate. They also performed rain-summoning techniques or dispersed clouds and mist.
It was very lively here.
As Bai Yuqiong traveled through many places, she noticed that in areas struck by disaster, those small cultivators would report to the government offices. The government would then send powerful cultivators skilled in the art of Creation, who would use Creation techniques to accelerate the growth of crops. After working continuously for over ten days, the crops would ripen, and these older cultivators would be utterly exhausted.
After the harvest, the leader of the cultivators called the affected people over and said, "Although the art of Creation can temporarily solve the urgent problem, the fertility of the soil has become thin. It needs fertilizing and rest. But it won't delay the next season's harvest."
The disaster victims expressed their thanks and paid some money to these cultivators.
Bai Yuqiong asked an old farmer. The old farmer chuckled and said, "Life has been pretty good these past few years. We have some savings, so even if we encounter a bad year, we can still get by."
"By paying the cultivators, won't you be left with no money?"
Bai Yuqiong asked, "Doesn't that mean wealth will concentrate in the hands of cultivators? In the future, these cultivators will become powerful aristocratic families, controlling the nation's finances."
"If you have some strength, you can go work in the mines."
The old farmer laughed again. "Or you can grow medicinal herbs. There are more and more cultivators these days, and they need more and more spirit medicines. Growing spirit medicines makes good money! Although my talent isn't great and I'm old, my little grandson is very clever. He has already opened his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasury and is currently studying in elementary school."
Bai Yuqiong was stunned.
The old farmer's face fell, and he said, "That little rascal, now that he's become a cultivator, he's another big spender! Fortunately, he's learned some alchemy and forging techniques. At the very least, he can refine some spirit pills and forge spirit weapons to supplement the family income. If he's really promising and can cultivate to become a god, that would be great! Then he can become an official!"
His face lit up with excitement. "Even if he doesn't become an official, starting an elementary school or a university, or opening a supervisory factory or something, would still bring glory to our ancestors! But I heard the court is about to go to war. If he joins the army, I'd be a bit reluctant to let him go."
An old woman beside him laughed and said, "War is good! Promotions must be fast!"
The old farmer said angrily, "War means people die!"
"One soldier from our Yan Kang can match ten soldiers from those heavens. And we have a just cause, with the title of Earth Virtue Primordial Lord. Who would dare not surrender?"
That old woman was quite knowledgeable and said, "Going to war is just picking up free military merits!"
Bai Yuqiong walked through Yan Kang in a daze. She saw many cultivators, led by gods and demons, building roads and bridges. Some cultivators were constructing cities and erecting buildings. On the roads, there were many land-sailing ships, and in the sky, large tower ships and vessels came and went.
What she saw was completely different from the Southern Heaven.
This place was practically a mortal Heavenly Court!
But it was also completely different from the strict hierarchy of the Heavenly Court. In the Heavenly Court, aside from the Ten Heavenly Lords, any divine being had to be extremely careful, acting cautiously for fear of saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing, or offending someone.
Yan Kang, on the other hand, was much more lively.
Bai Yuqiong finally made a decision. She left Yan Kang.
She hurried towards the Tai Xu region. This round trip took a whole year, but fortunately, there was another her stationed in Tai Xu, so there shouldn't be any major problems.
Just as she was about to reach Tai Xu, she suddenly saw a light flickering in the starry sky. Approaching it, she saw it was a human youth dressed in blue, traveling through the stars.
The youth looked young, only about ten years old, not yet twenty, but his cultivation was quite impressive.
He seemed a bit dazed, walking through the starry sky. The sound of the Dao swirled around him, and Dao light rippled like waves around him.
There was air around him, starlight, and flowers blooming and withering from the void. A strange beast, a Dragon Roc, carried him on its back, soaring through the stars.
Bai Yuqiong was puzzled. The Dragon Roc was the mount of the Heavenly Court's Imperial Guard. She didn't know why it willingly submitted to this youth.
She went forward to ask. The youth was very kind, a silly smile always on his face. "Sister, my name is Lan Yutian."
Bai Yuqiong had never heard this name and didn't think much of it. "Are you two wandering through the stars? Are you lost? And this Dragon Roc, why are you following him?"
The Dragon Roc said, puzzled, "I don't know why I'm following him either. I was originally on leave, planning to fly out and have some fun. But just as I left the Heavenly Court, I met him asking for directions. In a daze, I offered to guide him and willingly became his mount. But after flying for so long, I don't even know where I've ended up."
Bai Yuqiong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "This is already close to Tai Xu. You should hurry back to the Heavenly Court."
The Dragon Roc thanked her, asked Lan Yutian to dismount, and immediately flapped its wings and flew away, turning into a streak of light that vanished into the starry sky.
Bai Yuqiong was startled. The Imperial Guard's Dragon Roc was fast, but not *that* fast!
Clearly, during its time following this human youth named Lan Yutian, the Dragon Roc had unknowingly gained many benefits.
Lan Yutian indeed gave off a strange feeling. By his side, Bai Yuqiong felt that the Dao became exceptionally approachable. Many techniques and divine abilities she had never encountered or thought of before naturally became clear to her, as if she understood them. It was very peculiar.
It seemed that the Dragon Roc wasn't bewitched by Lan Yutian, but rather attracted by the Dao rhyme emanating from this youth. It followed him in a daze, unintentionally gaining many benefits.
Bai Yuqiong couldn't help but feel fond of him. She smiled and said, "Your name is Lan Yutian? Should I call you Lan Di or Tian Di?"
Then she shook her head and said, "Tian Di won't do. It sounds the same as 'Heavenly Emperor.' That would get your head chopped off."
Lan Yutian said, "Sister, just call me Yu Di."
"Jade Emperor?"
Bai Yuqiong burst out laughing. "That would also get your head chopped off! Your name is really strange. Only your surname can be used to address you. Whether I call you Tian Di or Yu Di, it's a capital offense. Who gave you this name? It's far too grand."
Lan Yutian shook his head. "I don't remember. I have amnesia. Even my brother doesn't know who gave me my name."
Bai Yuqiong felt sorry for him. "Lan Di, where are you going?"
"I don't know."
Lan Yutian answered honestly. "I don't know where I'm going either, and I'm also lost. Now I just go wherever I end up."
Bai Yuqiong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She felt genuine affection for him and smiled. "Since you have nowhere to go, come with me to Tai Xu. It's no good for you to be running around like this. Once you're in Tai Xu, at least I can protect you."
Lan Yutian nodded, looking very obedient.
Bai Yuqiong looked at his obedient appearance, feeling both fondness and pity. She thought to herself, "He looks a bit like someone... but Mu Tianzun is quite domineering now. Still, there's a slight resemblance between his eyes and brows and Lan Yutian's."
In the Tai Xu region, within the territory of the Heavenly Court, Qin Mu had already left the divine city guarded by Bai Yuqiong and arrived at the place guarded by another Heavenly Court Celestial Master, Meng Yungui.