"Mooo... rumble..."
Under the intense pain, the Five-Colored Divine Ox let out a series of agonized bellows and charged forward, dragging the Curved-Blade Plow. As its cries rang out, the triangular plowshare buried deep in the soil immediately tore up great slabs of brown earth from the hard ground!
[Negative emotion points from Huang Feihu: +1,000. Total: +15,028...]
"Five-Colored..."
Tears filled Huang Feihu's fierce eyes as he gazed in anguish at the Five-Colored Divine Ox, a huge footprint stamped on its rump. He wished he could tear Di Xin apart alive.
Owning this Five-Colored Divine Ox was his greatest source of pride. When caring for it in the past, he had feared dropping it if he held it in his hands, and feared melting it if he held it in his mouth. He fed it only the tenderest spiritual herbs, rose every morning to wash its body and groom it with the softest brush, and even embraced it for a little affectionate time before bed.
Yet now, this delicate, pampered Five-Colored Divine Ox had been viciously kicked in the rump by that tyrant Di Xin, and was even being made to perform such backbreaking labor.
"Utter foolishness... utter foolishness..."
Listening to Di Xin's shouting, Bi Gan shook his head repeatedly. This tyrant was growing more outrageous by the day.
Great Shang was in peril!
"Foolishness? Chancellor, are you certain?" Hearing Bi Gan's words, however, Shang Rong, who stood beside him watching the scene, had a brilliant light flare in his eyes. He sneered a question back, then pointed at the long strip of overturned earth before them and said gravely, "May I ask, Chancellor, have you ever seen anyone plow a field this quickly?!"
Bi Gan froze at his words, then looked ahead.
After a single glance, his expression immediately grew solemn.
Just as Shang Rong had said, the speed at which the Five-Colored Divine Ox overturned the soil with the Curved-Blade Plow was indeed far beyond anything human strength could achieve.
Apart from the Five-Colored Divine Ox's extraordinary speed, another reason was the Curved-Blade Plow itself. Its triangular shape allowed it to bite easily into the ground, while the angled faces on either side effortlessly turned the lifted soil out to both sides.
That alone would have been impressive, but more importantly, two rows of wooden-toothed rakes trailed behind the plow. As they swept past, they broke the large clods into crumbs and caught weeds and stones in their wooden teeth, carrying them out of the soil. All that remained was fertile earth and fine farmland.
"This... this..."
Bi Gan stared blankly at the scene, imagining how, with ten Five-Colored Divine Oxen-no, they would not even need Five-Colored Divine Oxen; ordinary cattle would suffice-all two thousand mu of land could likely be prepared in just two or three days.
Moreover, the quality of the land prepared this way surpassed human labor a hundredfold!
Without question, this was no foolishness, but a genuine pioneering achievement.
It benefited the nation! It benefited the people!
But how could such a tyrant and incompetent ruler come up with a method like this?!
[Negative emotion points from Bi Gan: +200...]
Almost at the same moment, Di Xin saw a string of numbers flash through his system's background interface. When he looked closely, his nose nearly twisted crooked with anger.
What on earth was wrong with Bi Gan? I had created such a powerful tool to benefit the nation and its people, yet instead of bowing down in worship, he actually dared to harbor negative emotions?!
It seemed I was no incompetent tyrant-Bi Gan was the truly treacherous minister!
"Buzzz..."
At that very instant, something unusual suddenly appeared between heaven and earth.
Without warning, a vast, boundless pressure materialized in the sky above everyone's heads.
In an instant, everyone's expression changed dramatically. They looked up at the heavens, assuming some old immortal of unparalleled power had arrived.
"Hm?"
But when they saw what lay above the clouds, their expressions changed again. There was no person standing there. Instead, countless mysterious golden rays swirled together, forming one figure after another. Among them was Hou Ji, the Agriculture God, clutching assorted grains with a delighted smile; and Shennong, bending to gather herbs and taste their flavors and medicinal properties...
Without exception, these figures formed from golden radiance were images of sages who had made indelible contributions to the Human Race's Agricultural Dao.
"What... is that...?"
Then everyone saw that, above the clouds, yet more golden rays were slowly joining together, as though about to form another person.
Moreover, that hazy, indistinct figure looked extraordinarily familiar, yet for a moment they could not recall who it was.
"His Majesty... isn't that His Majesty's heroic figure?!"
A moment later, Fei Zhong, the sharpest-eyed among them, pointed at the clouds and cried out involuntarily.
Following his cry, everyone looked carefully and immediately saw that the golden figure slowly taking shape above the clouds, only slightly fainter than Hou Ji and Shennong, was none other than Di Xin. Moreover, the golden image had even formed the likeness of the Five-Colored Divine Ox.
Only, the pose was somewhat undignified. It depicted Di Xin kicking the Five-Colored Divine Ox in the rump, making it drag the Curved-Blade Plow forward.
[Negative emotion points from Huang Feihu: +299...]
"That is clearly my ox! Why should it be shown alongside him?!"
Huang Feihu clenched his fingers, ground his teeth, and wore a face full of grief and indignation. He wished he could change the image into one of himself embracing the Five-Colored Divine Ox.
"Di Xin has pioneered the Curved-Blade Plow, facilitating farming and earning boundless merit. The Heavenly Dao has perceived this and hereby engraves his image, preserving it between heaven and earth to be revered by the countless living beings of future generations!"
Then a cold, emotionless yet immensely grand voice echoed endlessly between heaven and earth like deep, rolling thunder.
The voice carried a mountainlike pressure that made everyone's heart tremble, leaving them almost unable to breathe.
Heaven's might!
This was the might of the Heavenly Dao!
Heaven's might, standing above all things and all cultivators!
Whoosh!
Then those golden figures abruptly converged, transforming into an old man in coarse hemp Daoist robes, his eyes slightly narrowed and his imposing presence unmatched.
"We pay our respects to the Dao Ancestor!"
The moment this figure appeared, everyone present except Di Xin paled and fell to their knees, prostrating themselves before him.
This was none other than a projection of Dao Ancestor Hongjun, master of Zixiao Palace!
So this was Hongjun?!
Di Xin gazed at him. Though he looked no different from an ordinary man, wherever Di Xin's eyes fell, he felt that Hongjun occupied all the world before him, like a giant holding up the heavens. Before him, Di Xin felt as insignificant as an ant, lowly as dust, and an inexplicable despair arose within his heart.
After all, the player moving the pieces behind the Investiture of the Gods Calamity was this very Dao Ancestor!
If he wanted to change the Investiture of the Gods Calamity and rewrite history, he would inevitably have to face him!
Man could conquer heaven... and the heaven he had to conquer was him!
Buzzz!
Just then, as though sensing that Di Xin had not knelt in worship, Dao Ancestor Hongjun's projection unleashed an unparalleled pressure. Like the waters of the celestial river bursting through their banks, it poured down in a mighty waterfall and crashed onto Di Xin's body.
Pfft!
That terrifying pressure made Di Xin sway. Both knees immediately struck the ground, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his face pale and his aura withered.
So this was the Dao Ancestor's pressure?
Damn you, Hongjun! Today you throw your weight around and force me to kneel, but one day I will make you kneel before me too, and let you taste what it means to bow low and grovel!
Di Xin knelt on both knees. Though his aura had weakened, his hands remained tightly clenched, raging flames of fury burned in his eyes, and deep in his heart, he swore an oath!
At the same time, as though noticing that Di Xin had now knelt, Dao Ancestor Hongjun's projection lightly flicked a finger. Four golden rays whistled down, and in that instant, his projection vanished.
The largest stream plunged straight into the crown of Di Xin's head, wreathing his entire body in golden radiance. His weakened condition abruptly disappeared, and even his cultivation realm rose!
Of the other four slightly smaller golden rays, one flew into the Five-Colored Divine Ox. Golden light now edged its five vivid colors, lending it a sacred air. The Five-Colored Divine Ox was delighted, gazing at the four golden clouds beneath its hooves and bellowing joyfully, its large eyes brimming with happiness...
Another fell onto the Curved-Blade Plow, making a faint golden light flicker along its blade. Besides looking sacred, it appeared even sharper...
As for the fourth golden ray, it transformed into a golden shower and scattered into the bodies of the artisans who had made the Curved-Blade Plow. Their spirits instantly grew vibrant, and their physiques and vitality became stronger. Yet how could they have anticipated any of this? Caught off guard, they could only grin foolishly.
At the same time, the system's voice sounded in Di Xin's mind:
[Congratulations, Host. You have pioneered the Curved-Blade Plow, unlocked an Agricultural Dao achievement, and received Heavenly Dao Merit...]
Before you continue