Yang Bro, Are You Still Taking Subordinate Gods?

Everyone listened to the lesson attentively, especially the students who believed they had a chance of advancing to Demigod.

Li Qingying explained each path's direction of development, strengths, and weaknesses clearly. Yang Fan listened just as intently, sitting upright.

"Today's lesson ends here. Those of you who want to break through to Demigod or even God should start preparing now.

"If you choose the cultivation path, you can begin growing all kinds of spiritual plants and fruits in your Divine Kingdom. If your believers consume heavenly treasures over a long period, the odds of producing geniuses with spiritual roots will greatly increase.

"Likewise, those on the martial path need to cultivate precious medicines that temper the body. The mechanical path requires family support, so you should purchase a Mechanical Heart as early as possible."

After saying that, Li Qingying's figure vanished from the virtual world.

Once the teacher had left, Li Shuhao stood and said, "Gentlemen, let's meet up at the usual place! I'm treating today."

"Long live Brother Hao!"

"Brother Hao really is the best. He treats his brothers way too well."

The boys in the class instantly grew excited, wearing foolish grins and paying no attention to what the girls thought.

The girls, on the other hand, felt somewhat awkward. Class Seven now had another big shot besides Li Shuhao: Yang Fan. If they could discuss Divine Kingdom development with someone like him, they would naturally benefit greatly.

However, Li Shuhao was devoted to Heavenly Fragrance Haven, and since he had not invited them, the girls could not exactly force their way in.

"Why are they going to Heavenly Fragrance Haven again? Can't they pick somewhere else?"

"These guys are seriously disgusting. I definitely can't marry any of these classmates in the future."

Quite a few girls complained inwardly.

When they arrived at a private room in Heavenly Fragrance Haven, Yang Fan and Li Shuhao sat at the innermost seats facing the door. Wang Zhenyu sat to Li Shuhao's right, while Zhang Pang, thanks to his connection with Yang Fan, sat to his left.

The other classmates chose their seats casually. After all, they were all Gods taking the logistics path, and their future achievements would not differ much.

"Brother Yang, I must first congratulate you on receiving investment from the Luo Family. You'll surely soar to great heights and become a true God someday." Li Shuhao raised his glass in toast.

The other students also raised the glasses before them toward Yang Fan.

Yang Fan was completely different from a few days ago. He was now effectively connected to a great family, and barring any surprises, he would become someone they could only look up to in the future.

"You're too kind. Let's improve together from now on," Yang Fan replied politely.

Yang Fan had not shown off even when he awakened his Divine Kingdom with an SSS-grade talent, much less now that he had become a second-tier genius of the Luo Family.

Yang Fan truly did not feel much about it. He only felt that his future path had become much smoother. It was not some tremendous opportunity.

Yet his calm demeanor made him seem unfathomable in the eyes of the others.

Even after receiving the Luo Family's investment, he could remain so composed. No wonder he was the class's top student.

With that attitude of remaining unmoved by gain or loss, he seemed as though he had lived several hundred years longer than them.

Li Shuhao gave him a thumbs-up. "I still have plenty to learn from you, Brother Yang."

"I'm the one who should learn from you. Your answers in class today taught me quite a lot," Yang Fan said earnestly.

"Damn it, quit playing that fake-humble act with me. So many classmates are here, don't mock me like that." Li Shuhao's face reddened slightly, and he actually glared at Yang Fan.

Yang Fan was stunned as well. He had merely spoken his honest thoughts. Why had the other man gotten angry?

"We're all classmates. It was just a joke, don't make things so serious. Come on, everyone, drink." Zhang Pang stepped in to lighten the mood.

"Right, drink up. With the recent exams, we haven't gotten together for nearly half a month."

"By the way, Wang Zhenyu, I've cultivated around five thousand more adult Bodhi Treasure Snakes. Do you want them?"

"Yes. I'll take as many as you have."

"I have a batch of E-grade spiritual plants, Ice Crabapple Flowers, in my Divine Kingdom. Made into medicine and taken over a long period, they help with awakening spiritual roots. Brother Hao, Brother Yang, if you plan to take the cultivation path, I can help you cultivate them. The price is negotiable."

"And me. I have three miniature mineral veins in my Divine Kingdom. I wonder if you still need subordinate Gods?"

Everyone spoke in turn, but the heart of the conversation still revolved around Li Shuhao and Yang Fan.

Especially Yang Fan. He had risen to prominence, and no one had heard of him having any subordinate Gods. Naturally, the other students wanted to cling to such a powerful backer.

"I already have Pockmark, Wei Feng, and Yu Mo as subordinate Gods. I don't need any more for now." Li Shuhao shook his head.

The three people Li Shuhao mentioned were precisely the three students in Class Seven with the best resource-type Divine Kingdom talents.

One had a planting talent, one had the Animal Husbandry Talent, and the other possessed a small mineral vein in his Divine Kingdom.

More subordinate Gods were not necessarily better. Once a contract was signed, the subordinate God's Divine Kingdom would open to its protector. Not only would troops need to be stationed there for protection, but reinforcements would also have to be sent if someone invaded, perhaps even leading to a Divine Kingdom war.

Benefits and risks had always gone hand in hand. If someone became your subordinate God, they sold their Divine Kingdom's resources to you at low prices and had to prioritize your needs. How could one take so many benefits for free?

Although none of them faced the risk of war before graduating from university, and subordinate Gods would only benefit their Divine Kingdom's development, every benefit gained now would have to be repaid in the future.

Subordinate God contracts differed from Federation law. They were bound by higher rules, much like oaths sworn between Gods.

Once violated, heavenly punishment would descend upon the Divine Kingdom. In severe cases, even the Divine Kingdom core could shatter.

That was why many Divine Kingdoms taking the logistics path chose to become someone else's subordinate God while still in school.

First, they were classmates, so there was a relatively high level of trust.

Second, once they entered society and faced the pressure of their Divine Kingdoms being invaded, their bargaining power would be extremely low. To ensure their own safety, they could only sell off their Divine Kingdom resources cheaply.

Quite a few gazes turned toward Yang Fan. In Class Seven of their senior year, only Li Shuhao, Yang Fan, and Wang Zhenyu were qualified to take subordinate Gods.

Li Shuhao had no intention of taking more subordinate Gods, while anyone with eyes could see that Yang Fan's potential far surpassed Wang Zhenyu's.

Given the chance, everyone hoped to become Yang Fan's subordinate God.

The stronger the chief God, the higher the status of subordinate Gods like them would rise.

The grain merchants, weapon workshops, and butcher shops in those residential districts—who among them had not attached themselves to powerful Gods?

Otherwise, with so many resources sitting in their Divine Kingdoms, they would have long since been invaded.

"I haven't considered it that far yet," Yang Fan said blandly.

With the Evolution Talent, Yang Fan had no shortage of basic resources at all. Naturally, he had no motivation to develop subordinate Gods.

Everyone showed disappointment upon hearing that.

"Brother Yang, if you ever change your mind, contact me anytime."

"Same here. My father plans to take out a loan to buy me another miniature mineral vein. If nothing else, I can provide plenty of weapons for Brother Yang during our student years."

Yang Fan acknowledged each of them, though inwardly he did not think much of it.

"Old Wang, your exam results were pretty good too. Did you manage to get any investment?" the student who had just sold the Bodhi Treasure Snakes asked Wang Zhenyu.

Wang Zhenyu nodded. "The Ma Family gave me twenty C-grade buildings, along with a monthly subsidy of one hundred thousand Faith Points."

"The Ma Family? The major grain merchant from Yang County?"

"Brother Wang, that's awesome. That's quite an investment."

Quite a few students revealed envious expressions. A monthly subsidy of one hundred thousand was an astronomical sum for an ordinary family.

"The early investment has paid for itself." Wang Zhenyu smiled faintly. He was not particularly satisfied, but neither was he disappointed.

Compared with Yang Fan, the investment he had received was hardly worth mentioning. But for himself, it was at least an explanation to his family.