"All right, I understand. I'll go and search, and see whether everything is truly as miraculous as you say."
Yun Zhongzi nodded slightly, his gaze shifting.
At that moment, to be honest, he really was tempted.
After all, if things truly were as Di Xin had described, this would certainly be a deed of immense merit!
Moreover, even without any merit to be earned, if there really were a crop that could produce a dozen or even dozens of catties of food from a single vine, it could save countless lives, giving the Human Race, whose existence was already so difficult, a better chance of surviving the epochal tribulation...
Although Di Xin's claims were indeed rather outlandish, unlike anything he had ever heard or seen, Pangu had split heaven and earth apart and brought forth countless wonders. Who could say that the things Di Xin had described truly did not exist in this world?!
Although he did not know where Di Xin had learned of these things, his descriptions were so detailed that perhaps they really did exist somewhere in the world...
"Then allow me to thank you in advance on behalf of all the people under heaven, Senior."
Hearing this, Di Xin immediately bowed to the ground before Yun Zhongzi without a moment's hesitation, his face full of sincerity.
After all, although potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn were all coarse staples, they were high-yielding, highly adaptable crops. Besides, in this era, wheat and rice were not actually much different from coarse grains when eaten.
Leaving everything else aside, even the white-flour flatbread he ate as king was so rough on the mouth that, compared with the food of later ages, chewing it felt like someone was sanding his throat with sandpaper.
"There's no need for that. But if you've deceived me, I certainly won't let you off!" Yun Zhongzi shook his head with a chuckle, then raised a hand to pat Di Xin's shoulder and prepared to leave.
"Senior, won't you stay a little longer? I feel as though we're old friends already, and I'd like to grow a little closer to you."
At his words, Di Xin affectionately grabbed Yun Zhongzi's arm, but his eyes were fixed squarely on the flower basket.
After all that time, he had only squeezed three Spiritual Treasures out of him. It still felt insufficient, and he wanted to see whether he could squeeze out a few more.
"I think it's not me you want to grow closer to, but the Spiritual Treasures in my flower basket!" Yun Zhongzi scoffed with a cold snort.
"Senior, your foresight is divine! You even guessed that. Impressive, truly impressive!" Di Xin raised his eyebrows, then put on an honest, simple expression and said, "Since you're so impressive, why isn't one of the six seats of sagehood between heaven and earth yours?"
[Negative emotion points from Yun Zhongzi: +199...]
"I won't stoop to your level!"
Hearing those hurtful words, Yun Zhongzi snorted coldly twice, tossed his flower basket into the air, and sprang up like a leaping fish. Taking the things Di Xin had prepared for him, he floated away toward the far side of the ocean, which had clearly piqued his keen interest.
There shouldn't be any living beings in North America right now, should there?!
And surely a grand Daluo Golden Immortal like Yun Zhongzi wouldn't get lost?!
Watching Yun Zhongzi's retreating figure, Di Xin could not help having some doubts and worries. Soon, however, all those thoughts and emotions dissipated.
As the foremost Fortune Virtue Golden Immortal, Yun Zhongzi possessed opportunities and good fortune beyond anything Di Xin could imagine. Entrusting these matters to him was the best choice!
Of course, more importantly, now that Yun Zhongzi was heading across the ocean and becoming involved in these matters, history might change once again. Perhaps he would no longer take Lei Zhenzi as his disciple, and Wen Zhong could also be spared his tragic fate of being burned to death by the Heaven-Piercing Divine Fire Pillar at Juelong Ridge.
"Uncle Daoist is an immortal who rides clouds and mist!"
Meanwhile, as Yin Hong and Yin Jiao watched Yun Zhongzi depart on a cloud, their two pairs of bright eyes immediately filled with longing and hope.
"One day, you two will become people like him too!"
Hearing them, Di Xin smiled and patted Yin Hong and Yin Jiao on their heads as he spoke.
"Really?!"
At his words, Yin Hong's and Yin Jiao's eyes immediately shone even brighter as they looked at Di Xin expectantly.
"Hahaha, of course I was fooling you! Grow up properly first. Whether you can become immortals is something we'll discuss later."
Di Xin threw back his head and laughed.
[Negative emotion points from Yin Hong: +99...] [Negative emotion points from Yin Jiao: +99...]
The moment he finished speaking, Yin Hong's and Yin Jiao's faces filled with disappointment and gloom. Yin Jiao in particular had reddened eyes and looked ready to burst into tears.
"Come on, your royal father will make you some of the braised pork Uncle Daoist just ate!"
Di Xin smiled and rubbed the two little fellows' heads, comforting them.
Sure enough, children naturally considered food more important than anything else. They soon put becoming immortals out of their minds and bustled around Di Xin, cutting meat and tending the fire. Before long, both their little faces were smeared with grime.
In fact, for a brief moment earlier, Di Xin had considered having Yin Hong and Yin Jiao follow Yun Zhongzi to cultivate. After a little hesitation, however, he abandoned the thought.
First, Yun Zhongzi now had other tasks Di Xin had given him and had no time to look after these two little fellows. Second, each boy had his own destined opportunities. According to the account in Investiture of the Gods, one became Chijingzi's disciple, while the other became Guangchengzi's.
Although his arrival meant that they would no longer be hunted and persecuted by him, who could say what opportunities the future would bring?
Besides, if these two little fellows stayed with him, their achievements would not necessarily fall short of those in the original Investiture of the Gods.
A ripple has already appeared in the course of Investiture of the Gods. May this breeze stirring at the tips of the duckweed whip up towering waves!
Di Xin pondered inwardly. He knew very well that, with Yun Zhongzi's arrival and departure, his endeavor to prove that man could conquer heaven had taken its first small step.
Meanwhile, watching Di Xin cook with Yin Hong and Yin Jiao, Queen Jiang's eyes and brows overflowed with smiles she could not contain.
It had been a long time since she had seen Di Xin together with the children in such lively harmony.
It feels so good to be a family!
Come to think of it, His Majesty hasn't been with me for a long time either...
At that thought, two rosy clouds suddenly rose on Queen Jiang's lovely cheeks, while her eyes filled with anticipation.
[System notification: Queen Jiang's loyalty and affection +5, total: 90. Consort's Infatuation Achievement Task completed. One random reward available...]
Damn...
The instant Di Xin heard that notification, he could not even spare a glance for the random reward. He hurriedly turned to look at Queen Jiang and immediately saw her gazing at him with a face full of infatuation, her cheeks flushed red.
This was definitely a very dangerous signal!
A little later, the braised pork came out of the pot, and the "family of four" sat together and enjoyed a delicious meal of meat. Then Yin Hong and Yin Jiao ran off to play games, leaving only Di Xin and Queen Jiang sitting face-to-face.
Queen Jiang's scorching gaze, however, made Di Xin feel as though he were sitting on a bed of needles.
It was not that such a beautiful woman was unappealing. It was just that, if something really happened, he would feel rather strange about it...
Come to think of it, the fox would be better. Less worry, and no need to think so much!
I wonder what the fox would taste like...
"Your Majesty, it's been so long since you..."
While Di Xin's thoughts ran wild, Queen Jiang glanced at him, her eyes like two pools of water. Before she could finish speaking, she had lowered her lovely head to her chest, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum.
"My queen, powerful enemies surround us, and the people can barely survive. How can you be so vulgar, still having the mind to think of such things!"
Seeing that look in her eyes, Di Xin let out a long sigh and spoke to Empress Jiang with earnest gravity.
"I know I was wrong."
The light immediately faded from Queen Jiang's eyes. She crouched on the ground and hurriedly admitted her fault.
[Negative emotion points from Queen Jiang: +299, cumulative total: +38904...]
"Hmph..."
Di Xin nodded in satisfaction and looked down at Queen Jiang, intending to say something. But as he lowered his head, he saw that, perhaps because she felt a little warm after the meal, her neckline had fallen especially wide open. Hills rose and fell, peaks clustered together, a deep ravine lay blanketed in snow, and even winter plum blossoms stood proudly...
The sight instantly left Di Xin staring, and then his hand could not help reaching forward.
"Your Majesty..."
Sensing something unusual, Queen Jiang froze for a moment, but the dim light in her eyes instantly brightened, and her voice trembled a little more.
"What..." Di Xin grunted, gritted his teeth, and said, "Am I not allowed to be vulgar too?!"
Before you continue