Chapter 53: The Dharma Aspect Dragon

The moment Xi Yu reverted to human form, an intense wave of hunger surged from within his body.

This time, his elevation in strength had simultaneously raised the power of his three true believers.

The little white cat, in particular, while not achieving an absolute qualitative breakthrough, had seen its strength multiply several times over.

The ultimate outcome of this was fed back into Xi Yu’s own potential.

Although his comprehensive grade hadn’t increased this time, his potential values had grown by over two hundred points each, which slightly elevated the degree of his physical evolution once more.

[Comprehensive Grade: A+ class]

[Mutation (C-class): 102 (1177)]

[Soul Transformation (C-class): 116 (1501)]

Fortunately, this hadn’t triggered another qualitative leap, and compared to the previous surge, this increase in potential wasn’t excessively exaggerated.

The impact on his body was manageable, requiring only a replenishment of energy.

At least he didn’t have to squander SSS-class essences this time, of which he had very few left anyway.

Regrettably, while the [Believer] ability could elevate any of his believers, it did not apply to his own human form, as he could not become his own believer.

Fortunately, during the reclamation of Central City, the farm had harvested a pile of various essences, and Zhang Qingyuan had brought a bunch to Xi Yu earlier.

Without hesitation, Xi Yu swallowed a handful.

As these energies surged through his body and were absorbed by the dragon scales, his strength ticked upward once more.

Feeling the swelling, potent power coursing through his veins, Xi Yu experienced the exact same sensations as Zhang Qingyuan and the others.

This was great; the nationwide ascension had ultimately swept his own strength along with it, leaving no one behind.

He decided to put the matter of the Dharma Idol on hold for a couple of days, prioritizing digesting this newfound power first.

[Fate Connection: 31,242,358]

Looking at his Fate Connection value, he saw it had already surpassed thirty-one million.

When the value had reached one million and ten million respectively, he had unlocked two additional slots for true believers, but Xi Yu had no intention of filling those slots for now.

His recent surges in power had left him far too bloated as it was.

***

Subsequently, Xi Yu finally returned to the farm.

Sensing the powerful yet unstable auras emanating across the farm, he wisely chose to keep a low profile, even having Fang Jianbo personally deliver his meals over the past two days.

As for the odd expressions on Fang Jianbo’s face during each delivery, Xi Yu simply pretended not to see them.

Naturally, he remained unaware of the storm sweeping across the entire nation.

Ding Ren had called him three times, but each time Ding Ren said nothing on the other end, so Xi Yu had simply hung up.

Hiding away on the farm, Xi Yu turned a deaf ear to the outside world, and no one dared disturb him.

Yet the entirety of the Middle Continent had been completely turned on its head.

Initially, everyone had assumed that only they themselves had been lucky enough to become the divine dragon’s believers.

Yet when they stepped outside, reality hit them.

You are, I am, and so is he.

Across the land, people quickly realized that nearly everyone had become a believer of the divine dragon.

Nowadays, determining whether one had become a believer was exceedingly simple: one merely looked at whether they had been bestowed dragon power.

For one’s strength to jump an entire rank overnight—how could such a coincidence happen?

It was unquestionably power granted by the divine dragon.

A portion of people had previously felt somewhat uneasy about it.

They had harbored utilitarian motives, feeling that gaining power this way lacked integrity.

Yet now, seeing believers of the white dragon everywhere, they held their heads high and puffed out their chests.

Everyone was in the exact same boat.

Enough said; let’s gather and exchange notes on our newfound superhuman combat strength first!

Previously, traveling outside meant walking on pins and needles for fear of encountering ghosts or beasts.

Now, people formed groups and marched out in high spirits: “Where are the monsters? Come out and face us!”

The entire nation was bustling with fervor.

Some formed squads to hunt down ghosts and beasts, some harbored desires to reclaim their former homelands, while others wanted to drop everything and visit Star-Dream Farm first.

With tens of millions of superhuman combatants appearing across the Middle Continent, the land radiated an unprecedented vibrancy in an instant.

Every corner of the Middle Continent was filled with jubilation.

***

Meanwhile, Chu Luan, amidst his immense joy, found himself sinking into deep, happy distress.

At the thought of having tens of millions of superhuman combatants, he could laugh in his sleep.

Yet the moment he considered the logistics of feeding and clothing this multitude, he felt like he was going mad.

The Middle Continent’s food supply was already insufficient, and these tens of millions of newly minted superhumans naturally required even more grain.

Fortunately, while superhumans consumed vast resources, their endurance was exceptionally formidable.

With Mutation Particles available for absorption, their consumption of food when holding back was actually lower than that of ordinary people, but Chu Luan could never let the nation go hungry.

Moreover, over an extended period, relying on starvation was bound to cause problems.

He wasn’t actually worried about next year.

The Middle Continent now held vast expanses of vacant land, and the people possessed ample strength to protect and cultivate these fields to grow grain anew.

As long as wheat was planted nationwide in the latter half of the year, the pressure would ease substantially by year’s end.

There was far too much ownerless land, and Chu Luan naturally had no intention of standing on ceremony, resolving to claim everything that should be claimed.

Heaven’s gifts left unaccepted bring their own misfortune.

He was brimming with grand ambitions, but the critical issue remained immediate survival.

Mobilizing massive manpower inevitably consumed massive resources.

Ordinarily, there was no need to rush, as no one else across the globe currently possessed the capability to organize such a massive undertaking.

Yet while other regions could wait, the southern territories were different.

Other regions could not plant crops right now, but planting rice in the south was not too late.

Although global temperatures had dropped, planting crops now would yield harvests earlier.

Yet everything looped back to the same problem: food was needed.

Moreover, the current supply of seeds was insufficient.

This was the most critical issue, though other matters were equally pressing.

Currently, there were no major threats across the country, and high-end combat power was so abundant that wherever danger arose, a massive detachment could be deployed in an instant.

The Middle Continent lacked many things right now, but top-tier combat power was not one of them.

Setting aside the two newly joined A-class ghosts, all seventeen of the original A-classes had advanced, meaning the Middle Continent now boasted eighteen S-classes, including Nine Sages at Star-Dream Farm.

A-class combatants, combined with those ghosts, totaled over five hundred individuals.

B-classes were even more numerous; though the tally remained incomplete, the numbers he knew of already reached tens of thousands.

Yes, tens of thousands; upon seeing that figure, Chu Luan had accidentally cracked his floorboard once more.

With so much high-end combat power, let alone defending the Middle Continent, flattening the entire globe would pose no problem.

In the past, Chu Luan wouldn’t have dared dream of such insane things.

Now, the Middle Continent could embark on countless projects.

Heavy industries of the past could be restarted, and petroleum, automobiles, and smart networks could completely return to pre-catastrophe development levels.

In an instant, everything was waiting to be rebuilt, and he genuinely wished he could accomplish everything in a single breath.

Yet things could only proceed step by step, though Chu Luan was now thoroughly brimming with confidence.

There was no need to rush; sharpening the axe never delayed the woodcutter, so letting everyone digest their power first was the priority.

***

Half a month later, the side effects of the sudden power surge on the farm finally stabilized.

Those receiving dragon power for the first time were relatively fine, but those receiving it for the second time had endured a rather difficult stretch.

Fortunately, they had gradually pulled through.

The happiest individuals on the farm were none other than the three former Drance Federation B-classes, including Augustus.

Having successfully advanced to A-class, they were ecstatic.

Rather than the boost in power, they viewed this as the white dragon’s genuine acceptance of them, finally setting their minds at ease.

Yet they couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy; Gabriel had reached S-class, while they were merely A-classes.

During this half-month, Xi Yu had also fully recovered.

Ding Ren had visited him once, and seeing that Xi Yu was fine, had departed in a hurry the next day.

Xi Yu strolled around the farm, finding the situation vastly improved, which put him at ease.

With believers abundant throughout the Middle Continent, he felt it was time to attempt condensing the Dharma Idol.

With more believers, the need to condense the Dharma Idol became increasingly urgent.

However, he didn’t rush to mobilize millions of believers all at once, deciding to experiment with a simplified version of the Dharma Idol first.

This attempt didn’t require too many people; he planned to test it with a few thousand, and the personnel on the farm were more than sufficient.

When he requested their help, not a single person on the farm refused, everyone stepping forward eagerly.

Simultaneously, a tiny trace of apprehension lingered in their hearts: ‘He won’t elevate our strength again, will he?’

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to grow stronger, but resting for a couple more days would be preferable.

Despite these worries, the cooperation of the farm’s staff was swift.

Over these days, Xi Yu’s comprehension of the [White Dragon Dharma Idol] had deepened, and he had mentally refined the steps multiple times.

With preparations complete, he could begin directly.

Following the critical nodes of the Dharma Idol, he had everyone take their positions.

The white dragon was three-dimensional, so people couldn’t simply stand flat on the ground.

Xi Yu had long since used giant boulders to construct elevated platforms on the open grounds around the farm, and having everyone stand upon them instantly completed the nodes.

Compared to using spiritual power or dragon energy to construct nodes, utilizing believers was undeniably far easier and more convenient.

With everything set, all that remained was activating the Dharma Idol.

Xi Yu was quite nervous, unsure whether the Dharma Idol would succeed.

He had rehearsed the activation process many times, and now it came down to execution.

The most vital nodes lay at the dragon’s head and heart, and he assigned these positions to Zhang Qingyuan and his five companions.

Xi Yu composed his mind, condensing a colossal white dragon avatar.

Finally, the avatar enveloped all the believers within itself.

A strand of dragon power descended upon Zhang Qingyuan, and Xi Yu activated the mutation and soul transformation within his body.

Zhang Qingyuan shuddered, thinking Xi Yu was about to elevate his power again.

Yet once the dragon power stimulated his internal energy, a surge of power erupted from his body, striking directly toward Qin Wei beside him.

Next, Xi Yu drew out the power within Qin Wei, channeling it toward Ji Yunbing.

One by one, the energy linked, and when Xi Yu drew out the power of the final person and looped it back to Zhang Qingyuan, all nodes were completely bound into a unified whole.

Subsequently, the colossal dragon linked by believers was finally formed.

By this time, Xi Yu had long transformed into the white dragon, his focus entirely concentrated on observing the believer dragon.

The moment the entire circuit formed, a powerful aura surged from the believer dragon in an instant.

Mutation Particles from heaven and earth swarmed toward it like moths to a flame.

Yet in the next instant, the aura halted abruptly, and the believers at the nodes tumbled over in disarray.

Those of higher ranks were fine, but those who had recently reached F-class felt their internal blood and energy churn.

“Is everyone alright?”

The crowd shook their heads; though uncomfortable, none had suffered injuries.

Before Xi Yu could intervene, the process had already concluded, and seeing that no one was seriously injured, he was relieved.

Xi Yu had them rest for a while, instructing Zhang Qingyuan to bring food and drink for them, while he sat down to analyze the cause of the failure.

To him, this was already a pleasant surprise; the fact that the believer dragon had reacted proved that condensing the Dharma Idol was entirely viable.

‘Where did the problem lie?’

The scene from moments ago replayed in Xi Yu’s mind.

After careful observation, Xi Yu quickly pinpointed the issue.

When the final believer node was linked, the Dharma Idol had indeed formed.

However, the intensity of light emitted by the various nodes was uneven—some strong, some weak—which ultimately caused the lines of dragon power connecting the believers to snap in an instant.

‘The believers’ strength must be roughly equal.’

Xi Yu gained an instant realization.

It seemed relying solely on the farm’s personnel wouldn’t work.

Xi Yu quickly sought help from Guan Zhang in Xincheng City, asking to borrow a contingent of E-class warriors.

His farm had the most E-classes, but the total count was insufficient; having Guan Zhang supply five to six hundred would suffice.

The only condition was that these people had to be his believers.

Guan Zhang agreed immediately.

In less than two hours, Guan Zhang personally led the detachment over.

Though unaware of what Xi Yu needed them for, helping the white dragon filled everyone with immense excitement, and they had hurried over without hesitation.

More than a thousand people arrived in one breath.

Since they had come, Xi Yu provided them with meals.

Without time to entertain Guan Zhang, he threw himself into a new attempt immediately.

And this time, with a believer dragon composed entirely of E-class warriors, it succeeded without any unexpected hitches.

In the eyes of Guan Zhang and the onlookers, the three thousand-plus individuals forming the shape of a giant dragon emitted a faint glow, and a network of luminous lines bound everyone together.

Then, the giant dragon came alive.

Mutation Particles from heaven and earth swarmed over, surging into the giant dragon’s body like moths to a flame.

Once the believer dragon condensed, within less than half an hour, Xi Yu noticed the faces of the thousands of believers flushing red.

The air around them was dense with Mutation Particles, and even without actively cultivating, these particles burrowed frantically into their bodies.

This caused their strength to rise at a visible rate.

In the distance, Zhang Qingyuan and the others swallowed hard at the sight.

Xi Yu nodded to himself; it was just as he had deduced.

He didn’t know if his interpretation of the Dharma Idol was entirely correct, but the Dharma Idol was genuinely functioning now.

Currently, the power within every believer was sustained by dragon power, so the mutation and soul transformation within their bodies leaned toward draconic traits.

Linking all the dragon-aligned believers with dragon power was equivalent to turning them into an actual giant dragon, naturally allowing them to absorb ambient Mutation Particles.

The supreme cultivation arts of this world were originally modeled after the physical forms of Food Sequence Lords.

Although the white dragon was not yet a Food Sequence Lord, its draconic body possessed an identical function.

The Dharma Idol Dragon condensed by these believers was essentially a weakened version of the white dragon.

Calling it the White Dragon Dharma Idol felt somewhat unfitting, so calling it the Dharma Idol Dragon seemed more appropriate.

It seemed his version of the White Dragon Dharma Idol had indeed strayed off the original track.

Xi Yu observed that the efficiency of the Dharma Idol Dragon composed of three thousand E-class believers in absorbing Mutation Particles had already surpassed the SS-class monsters from his past life.

Although far inferior to the true white dragon, it was remarkably formidable.

Yet this Dharma Idol Dragon had its flaws: the believers’ individual strength was too low.

They served as the nodes of the dragon, so the concentration of Mutation Particles around them was exceptionally dense.

Under these conditions, their strength rose uncontrollably, and within two hours at most, the rate of absorption would exceed their physical limits.

Though this was different from using dragon power to force an upgrade, enduring it for too long was still uncomfortable.

Xi Yu acted, using his dragon avatar to devour the ambient Mutation Particles directly, channeling them into his inner world.

The avatar couldn’t refine this energy itself, but acting as a conduit was no problem.

Though different from his initial assumption of personal cultivation, this was still excellent, as he could simply absorb the particles later.

As he began devouring the particles continuously, the pressure on the believers forming the Dharma Idol Dragon eased significantly.

Suddenly, he paused.

He sensed the white dragon’s strength increasing.

His consciousness sank into the inner world.

Xi Yu discovered that the Mutation Particles channeled into the inner world vanished instantly, and the white dragon’s strength grew in tandem.

They were being converted directly into dragon power inside the inner world!

The white dragon possessed this capability?!

Though surprised, Xi Yu was thrilled; this was an indirect form of cultivation.

Xi Yu turned his focus back onto the Dharma Idol Dragon.

As he watched, an idea surfaced in his mind.

He enveloped all the believers with his avatar, gently carrying them into the air.

The Dharma Idol Dragon did not disperse.

Xi Yu was delighted; it genuinely worked.

At this moment, the avatar was completely overlaid upon the Dharma Idol Dragon, leaving its structure unshakeable, so the formation naturally held.

Next, Xi Yu initiated a new experiment.

He controlled the Dharma Idol Dragon to weave through the sky, and before countless eyes, believers were seen soaring through the heavens.

Flying was a privilege reserved for B-classes, yet these people in the sky were mere E-classes!

Everyone stared wide-eyed in absolute astonishment.

Xi Yu was equally amazed; it was genuinely viable.

He realized the Dharma Idol Dragon was far more magical than he had imagined.

The threads of white dragon power connecting the believers were actually flexible, meaning the dragon did not require rigid positioning, able to move with immense fluidity.

Didn’t this mean he could control the Dharma Idol Dragon to engage in combat?

If the formation were composed of S-classes, its combat strength would be formidable.

However, Xi Yu didn’t place much value on its offensive capabilities right now; the dragon was entirely under his control, and his avatar was far stronger than the formation, making the dragon’s combat strength somewhat redundant for him.

Yet if his believers could control the formation themselves one day, the implications would be entirely different.

He noted this down as a future avenue of experimentation.

Since the Dharma Idol Dragon could move freely, Xi Yu conceived an even bolder idea.

Many of his believers were currently observing the dragon from below.

Xi Yu had them cooperate with him one by one.

With surplus E-class believers below, Xi Yu selected two hundred people, drew out their draconic traits, and inserted them directly into the lines of dragon power between two node believers.

The Dharma Idol Dragon held firm without dispersing.

Xi Yu conducted further tests, though the dragon formation dissolved several times along the way.

Fortunately, the believers were shielded by the avatar and suffered no harm.

Having tested all his hypotheses, Xi Yu had essentially mastered the mechanics of the Dharma Idol Dragon.

The believers forming the dragon did not need to be of identical strength, but the gap was best kept within three adjacent ranks.

Any three adjacent ranks of believers could form the Dharma Idol Dragon.

Moreover, the nodes were not fixed; as long as the core anchor points of the white dragon were maintained, every node could be substituted.

The believers at the fixed nodes were best chosen from the strongest individuals to ensure stability, while other nodes could be filled incrementally, expanding the dragon formation continuously.

The larger the formation, the more Mutation Particles it could absorb.

If Xi Yu wished, he could assemble believers from across the nation to form an unprecedented, epic dragon that spanned the entirety of the Middle Continent.

At that point, the volume of Mutation Particles absorbed by the formation would be astronomical, far outstripping the rate at which the white dragon could absorb them alone.

Just thinking about it filled Xi Yu with longing.

To him, this was essentially the legendary “Dragon Vein” of ancient myth.

With this Dragon Vein, the Middle Continent could advance without obstacle, rising to supreme heights.

Xi Yu had thoroughly unraveled the mechanics of the Dharma Idol Dragon: the key lay entirely with the believers.

At this stage, a formation of tens of thousands of believers was sufficient to sustain the white dragon’s consumption.

He decided to anchor the Dharma Idol Dragon at the farm permanently, allowing anyone wishing to cultivate to step into the formation on their own.

However, formalizing this system was best so he could maintain the formation continuously.

Since the formation required his guidance, he had to monitor it, and controlling a single dragon formation was his current limit.

Still, this was more than enough.

With more people, expand the dragon; with fewer people, shrink it.

Ultimately, Xi Yu dissolved the formation, as the believers were nearing their limits.

He would re-condense the dragon once a sufficient force was assembled.

For this, he needed Chu Luan’s coordination.

Mobilizing personnel was most convenient through his office.

***

When Xi Yu contacted Chu Luan, Chu Luan had been looking for him as well.

Hearing Xi Yu explain the matter, Chu Luan nodded repeatedly.

“That is no problem on my end; we will coordinate with Star-Dream Farm.”

Xi Yu nodded, and the matter was settled.

With tens of millions of believers across the nation, pulling a few tens of thousands to maintain the formation was trivial.

It saved endless resources for cultivation, so who would decline?

Chu Luan felt deeply emotional; formerly, the nation lacked personnel everywhere, and now they still lacked personnel—except now, they lacked people whose strength hadn’t been elevated yet.

“Xi Yu, regarding what you mentioned earlier about sending people to the Celestial Palace Realm, how are preparations? We have assembled all the requested supplies.”

Although the Middle Continent had nothing to fear from ordinary monsters now, securing a retreat in the Celestial Palace Realm was ideal.

Moreover, the more food, the better.

“Alright, I will head to the Celestial Palace Realm to test things out shortly; if there are no issues, I’ll take a group across tonight.”

Xi Yu felt a bit sheepish, having nearly forgotten about it while busy with the Dharma Idol.

“Excellent, I await your word”, Chu Luan smiled.

Hanging up, Xi Yu took immediate action, grabbing a few mutated chickens from the farm and manifesting directly inside the Celestial Palace Realm.

Seeing the chickens alive and kicking, Xi Yu let out a sigh of relief; it was indeed viable.

He was currently near Qingshui Village, and sensing Jiang Shaomu inside the Dragon God Temple, he transmitted a thought into Jiang Shaomu’s mind.

Hearing the white dragon’s words, Jiang Shaomu paused, bowed to the statue, briefed Qing Li, and soared into the sky toward the Kuitian Sword Sect.

Jiang Shaomu’s arrival caused a stir in the sect, as he represented the white dragon.

However, returning this time, Jiang Shaomu noticed everyone acting somewhat strange.

Not thinking much of it, he sought out Miao Luohua immediately.

Only then did Jiang Shaomu discover that Miao Luohua had become a Flying Immortal powerhouse!

Jiang Shaomu was stunned, and after a moment, he pieced together what had happened, staring at Miao Luohua slack-jawed.

Miao Luohua felt somewhat sheepish; though she had no idea how she had suddenly become the white dragon’s believer, the leap in power was undeniable, leaving her speechless.

Since Jiang Shaomu carried the white dragon’s decree, Miao Luohua summoned all seven peak masters to hear the matter.

Jiang Shaomu sighed inwardly, but delivered the message faithfully.

“By the decree of the Dragon God, I have come to discuss a matter with you all: the Dragon God intends to lead a contingent of humans from His realm to settle in the Celestial Palace Realm, and wishes to ask if you are willing to allocate an unclaimed territory within the Great Sheng Dynasty for their residence.”

Jiang Shaomu laid it out in one breath.

This was difficult for him, knowing the sect would surely be in an uproar.

The Kuitian Sword Sect oversaw three kingdoms, the Great Sheng Dynasty being one of them.

This confirmed that the Dragon God held designs on their territory; while He hadn’t touched the sect, He was claiming their lands.

The sect would surely erupt in fury.

They wouldn’t dare say anything against the Dragon God, but they would undoubtedly mock him as a traitor without restraint.

Jiang Shaomu prepared himself to stay calm, as long as they didn’t disrespect the Dragon God.

Yet after waiting for a long time, everyone remained silent.

Instead, Jiang Shaomu noticed that Hua Yuanxian of Yuchen Peak had also become a Flying Immortal powerhouse.

Hua Yuanxian smiled at him casually.

Jiang Shaomu paused, silently piecing things together.

***

Hours later, though Jiang Shaomu hadn’t been sent off with grand ceremony, Miao Luohua personally escorted him out.

Along the way, he received numerous sound transmissions offering assistance if needed.

“Shaomu, you saw the situation today. Many in the sect have received the Dragon God’s grace, and many more are tempted; quite a few are already considering joining His side directly,” Miao Luohua sighed.

“I respect the Dragon God’s character, so I will not interfere. If disciples seek you out, accept them; my only goal now is ensuring the name of the Kuitian Sword Sect does not fade.”

Though a Flying Immortal powerhouse, Miao Luohua lacked arrogance, appearing somewhat melancholy instead.

Seeing Jiang Shaomu’s hesitation, Miao Luohua straightened his collar and smiled:

“Do not overthink it; this is for the best. With the Dragon God present, the sect will remain safe, allowing us to focus purely on cultivation without chasing fame and fortune. Perhaps that will lead the Kuitian Sword Sect down an extraordinary path.”

Jiang Shaomu bowed deeply to Miao Luohua before taking his leave.

He had accomplished the mission, yet felt little joy.

He had emerged from this sect, and despite his painful experiences, seeing the sect reach this state left him deeply emotional.

Halfway along his path, he found himself blocked by a crowd of people.

Jiang Shaomu’s eyes widened. “Master?!”

Miao Luohua stood in mid-air with her hands behind her back. “What took you so long? Let’s go.”

“Master, what are you doing?” Jiang Shaomu was baffled.

“Helping, of course! I am a believer of the Dragon God now, so naturally I should do my part,” Miao Luohua smiled.

Jiang Shaomu’s brain couldn’t keep up.

Miao Luohua laughed heartily, “We are all believers of the Dragon God, so why act coy? This is the time to earn merit. The Dragon God wouldn’t seize a believer’s sect, would He? If we contribute more, He will remember our goodwill.”

“Then what about earlier…?” Jiang Shaomu stared blankly; Miao Luohua had looked so sorrowful earlier.

“One must observe proper decorum; otherwise, wouldn’t we appear too eager?” Miao Luohua waved her hand dismissively. “Besides, can’t a master tease her disciple?”

Jiang Shaomu was speechless, feeling exhausted.

Having received the white dragon’s power, Miao Luohua understood that no one in the Celestial Palace Realm was the dragon’s match.

The ability to bestow strength across realms was far beyond what a Lord of the Beyond could achieve.

She couldn’t fathom the dragon’s true realm, but she knew He was the undisputed strongest being in this world.

Since even she had become His believer, resistance was pointless.

Following the dragon was the correct path, ensuring the survival of the Kuitian Sword Sect.

Acting coy or opposing Him was sheer suicide.

Her only concern was whether the people from the dragon’s world would be easy to get along with.

As Sect Master, she was helping personally; if those people acted out of line, she could complain to the dragon directly.

Miao Luohua glanced at Jiang Shaomu and shook her head—still too green.

Today, as his master, she had given him a proper lesson.

***

Seeing Jiang Shaomu return with Miao Luohua, Xi Yu realized he had underestimated Jiang Shaomu.

Since the Kuitian Sword Sect agreed, Xi Yu returned to the Middle Continent, brought the personnel across, and arranged a meeting on a secluded mountain peak.

The Middle Continent had sent an agricultural expert delegation, guarded personally by the Second Military Guard and two S-classes.

Seeing Miao Luohua’s ethereal, celestial appearance, the Middle Continent personnel were momentarily dazed.

And Miao Luohua was equally startled by the two Flying Immortal powerhouses behind the Second Military Guard.

Both sides appraised each other.

Xi Yu directly imparted their respective languages into their minds, made brief introductions, and enabled direct communication.

After digesting each other’s languages, the Second Military Guard got straight to the point:

“Where does Sect Master Miao plan to have us farm?”

“Farm?!” Miao Luohua and her elders exchanged stunned glances.

Seeing that the Middle Continent personnel suffered no discomfort in this realm, Xi Yu left them to communicate on their own.

Instructing the Nine-Tailed Red Fox, he returned to the Middle Continent.

***

The subsequent days were remarkably peaceful.

Xi Yu checked in on the delegation’s progress via Jiang Shaomu from time to time.

The collaboration was progressing smoothly.

Upon learning that the Middle Continent’s sole objective was farming without mass migration, Miao Luohua became far more sincere.

It benefited the Celestial Palace Realm, and they were already discussing mutual technological and agricultural cooperation.

Xi Yu was at ease.

By this time, Ding Ren had returned to Star-Dream Farm.

With so many experts present, there was no need for him to handle mundane tasks.

Chu Luan had generously granted him extended leave.

Ding Ren simply stayed at the farm, cultivating a patch of vegetables for leisure.

He learned cooking from Fang Jianbo, picking it up rapidly and mastering eighty percent of Fang Jianbo’s skills in no time.

Xi Yu no longer had to visit the dining hall; Ding Ren handled every meal.

Xi Yu had little to do daily, spending his time cultivating, supervising his three true believers’ cultivation, and nagging Ding Ren to cultivate.

Life was thoroughly enjoyable.

His only observation was that Ding Ren adored feeding him constantly.

Fortunately, he was a dragon; otherwise, Ding Ren would have fattened him up long ago.

Even so, Xi Yu was thoroughly enamored with this peaceful life.

About ten days later, Chu Luan finalized the personnel for the Dharma Idol Dragon.

He dispatched twenty thousand soldiers, combined with ten thousand recruited from the farm and society, forming a thirty-thousand-person formation operating on ten-day rotations.

The reappearance of the Dharma Idol Dragon became a permanent spectacle at the farm.

Once stabilized, it required minimal supervision, relieving Xi Yu of immense mental strain.

Xi Yu resumed his daily routine of supervising cultivation and being fed by Ding Ren.

With no leads on the Dimensional Black Abyss creatures globally, Xi Yu shelved that plan for now, waiting patiently for the Divine Arena.

***

“Morning.”

Early that morning, Ding Ren woke up, planted a kiss on Xi Yu’s cheek, and stared at him intently for a long while before speaking softly:

“Sleep a bit longer. I’ll make breakfast and bring it down; we’re having century egg and lean pork porridge today.”

Century eggs had been cured recently, becoming an instant hit across the farm, including with Xi Yu and Ding Ren.

“Mhm,” Xi Yu nodded lazily.

Looking at his relaxed state, Ding Ren smiled, tapped Xi Yu’s nose gently, and flew out of the underground cavern.

Xi Yu swiped at him lazily, missing, and snuggled into bed, reluctant to get up.

Ding Ren had been completely different yesterday—exceptionally passionate, taking the initiative, and even whispering romantic words before Xi Yu kicked him playfully.

Xi Yu smiled foolishly, finding last night thoroughly enjoyable.

Ding Ren’s strength had improved recently, allowing him to cut loose completely.

Though awake, Xi Yu indulged in lazing around; he had truly been spoiled rotten.

Ding Ren brought breakfast straight to his bed, and he would always linger in bed for a while before rising.

He didn’t know when he had grown so accustomed to this routine.

He never imagined Ding Ren held such a tender, attentive side beneath his stoic exterior.

Just then, a sudden pang of panic seized Xi Yu’s chest.

He clutched his chest, but the sensation vanished into thin air, and feeling no physical abnormalities, he thought nothing of it.

Yet after waiting for a long while, Ding Ren never returned, and Xi Yu realized something was wrong.

Hesitating briefly, Xi Yu flew out of the underground cavern and returned to the house on the farm.

Ding Ren cooked here to keep food aromas from lingering in the underground space.

Opening the door, two sets of bowls and chopsticks were laid out neatly on the table.

The pot in the center emitted gentle steam.

Xi Yu walked over and lifted the lid; the rich aroma of century egg and lean pork porridge rushed out.

“Strange…”

Xi Yu frowned; the porridge was ready, so where had Ding Ren gone?

He extended his perception, finding no trace of Ding Ren across the entire farm, which deepened his confusion.

Setting the lid down, Xi Yu sought out Zhang Qingyuan. “Captain Zhang, do you know where Captain Ding went?”

Zhang Qingyuan shook his head, looking at Xi Yu cautiously. “Isn’t the boss with you? I haven’t seen him in quite some time.”

Xi Yu paused; Ding Ren had indeed been attached to him daily, but had Zhang Qingyuan truly not seen him at all?

Lacking answers, Xi Yu wondered if Chu Luan had summoned him back.

Yet Ding Ren would have told him before leaving, or at least asked Zhang Qingyuan to pass a message.

He dialed Chu Luan’s communicator directly.

“I didn’t summon Ding Ren back?” Chu Luan asked, surprised.

He cleared his throat lightly.

“By the way, if you find him, tell him he’s taken enough leave; it’s time to report back to work.”

“Leave? Didn’t you grant him time off?” Xi Yu asked in shock.

“Absolutely not! When did I ever grant him leave?!” Chu Luan denied immediately.

Xi Yu’s heart seized violently.

He sank his consciousness into the inner world, seeking Ding Ren’s location through the Fate Connection.

His breath hitched in an instant.

The point of light belonging to Ding Ren had completely extinguished.

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