Chapter 1239: Picking Up a Supreme Celestial Lord

Yan Kang was many, many times smaller than Southern Heaven.

When Bai Yuqiong arrived in Yan Kang, it was harvest season. She saw many young divine practitioners, still in the Five Elements Realm, helping the populace harvest crops, thresh grain, plow fields, draw water for irrigation, and even cast rain spells or dispel clouds.

It was very lively there.

Bai Yuqiong traveled to many places and discovered that when disaster struck certain areas, the young divine practitioners would report it to the government. The government would then dispatch many powerful divine practitioners skilled in creation spells. Using these spells, they would rapidly accelerate crop growth. After more than ten days of continuous hard work, the crops matured, leaving these older divine practitioners quite exhausted.

After the crops were harvested, a leader among the divine practitioners summoned the affected villagers and said, "While creation spells can provide immediate relief, the soil's fertility will be diminished. It will require additional fertilization to restore the land, but this won't delay the next harvest."

The disaster victims expressed their gratitude and gave some money to these divine practitioners.

Bai Yuqiong asked an old farmer, who chuckled and replied, "Life has been good these past few years. We have some savings, enough to get by even in a disaster year."

"If you pay the divine practitioners, won't you be left with no money?" Bai Yuqiong asked. "Won't wealth then concentrate in the hands of the divine practitioners? In the future, these practitioners will become powerful aristocratic families, controlling the nation's finances."

The old farmer smiled and said, "If you have some physical strength, you can work in the mines. You can also grow medicinal herbs. There are more and more divine practitioners these days, and they need more and more spirit medicines, so growing them brings in a lot of money! Although my aptitude isn't great and I'm old, my grandson is very bright. He has already awakened his Spirit Embryo Divine Treasure and is currently studying at the elementary school."

Bai Yuqiong was astonished.

The old farmer furrowed his brow and said, "After that little rascal became a divine practitioner, he became another big spender! Fortunately, he learned some alchemy and forging, so at the very least, he can refine some spirit pills or forge spirit weapons to supplement the household income. If he makes something of himself and cultivates to become a deity, that would be wonderful—he could become an official!" His eyebrows lifted in excitement as he continued, "Even if he doesn't become an official, he could start an elementary school or university, or open a supervisory manufacturing plant or something similar—that would bring glory to our ancestors! It's just that the imperial court is going to war soon, and I'd be a bit reluctant if he were to join the army."

A nearby elderly woman chuckled, "War is good! Promotions are quick!"

The old farmer angrily retorted, "War kills people!"

The elderly woman, however, displayed unusual insight, saying, "One soldier from our Yan Kang can stand against ten from those other heavens! And with a just cause, under the name of Earth Virtue Primordial Lord, who would dare not surrender? Going to war is simply picking up military merits for free!"

Bai Yuqiong walked through Yan Kang in a daze, observing many divine practitioners, led by gods and devils, repairing roads and building bridges. Others were constructing cities and buildings. The roads were bustling with land-traveling boats, and grand ships and flying vessels constantly traversed the skies.

What she saw was completely different from Southern Heaven. This was practically a Heavenly Court in the mortal realm! Yet, it differed from the Heavenly Court's rigid hierarchy. In the Heavenly Court, apart from the Ten Celestials, every deity had to be extremely cautious and meticulous in their actions, fearing they might say or do something wrong and offend someone. Yan Kang, however, was much livelier.

Bai Yuqiong finally made her decision; she left Yan Kang.

She then hurried towards the Land of Grand Void. The round trip took a full year, but fortunately, another version of her was overseeing the Grand Void, so there shouldn't be any major issues.

As she was about to reach the Land of Grand Void, she suddenly noticed a light flickering in the starry sky. Drawing closer, she saw a human boy in blue clothes traveling through space.

The boy seemed young, only in his teens, not yet twenty, but his cultivation was remarkably impressive. He appeared somewhat disoriented, walking through the starry sky. Dao sounds swirled around him, and waves of Dao light enveloped him. Around him, there was air, starlight, and flowers that bloomed and withered as they grew from the void. An exotic beast, a dragon-eagle, carried him, soaring through the starry sky with flapping wings.

Bai Yuqiong was puzzled; the dragon-eagle was a mount of the Heavenly Court's Imperial Forest Army, yet it seemed to willingly obey this young boy.

She stepped forward to ask, and the boy, very kind and always with a foolish smile on his face, said, "Big sister, my name is Lan Yutian."

Bai Yuqiong had never heard the name and didn't give it much thought. She asked, "Are you lost, wandering in the starry sky? And you, dragon-eagle, why are you following him?"

The dragon-eagle replied in confusion, "I don't know why I'm following him either. I was originally on holiday and just planned to fly out and enjoy myself. Unexpectedly, right after leaving the Heavenly Court, I met him asking for directions. I somehow muddled through and offered to lead the way, willingly becoming his mount. But after flying for so long, I have no idea where I've flown to."

Bai Yuqiong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She said, "This is already close to the Grand Void. You should quickly return to the Heavenly Court."

The dragon-eagle thanked her, asked Lan Yutian to dismount, and immediately flapped its wings, transforming into a streak of light that vanished into the starry sky.

Bai Yuqiong was startled. Although the Imperial Forest Army's dragon-eagles were fast, they weren't *that* fast! Clearly, the dragon-eagle had unknowingly gained many benefits while following this human boy named Lan Yutian.

Lan Yutian indeed gave off a peculiar aura. In his presence, Bai Yuqiong felt the Grand Dao become exceptionally approachable. Many Daoist arts and divine abilities she had never encountered or conceived of before simply became clear to her, naturally understood and enlightened, which was quite extraordinary. It seemed the dragon-eagle wasn't merely enchanted by Lan Yutian but was attracted by the Dao charm emanating from the boy. It had confusedly followed him and, in doing so, unintentionally gained many benefits.

Bai Yuqiong found herself taking a liking to him and smiled, "So your name is Lan Yutian? Should I call you Little Lan or Little Tian?" She immediately shook her head. "Little Tian won't do; it sounds like 'Heavenly Emperor,' which is punishable by death."

Lan Yutian said, "Sister, you can call me Yu-di."

"Jade Emperor?" Bai Yuqiong chuckled, "That's also punishable by death! Your name is very peculiar. Only your surname can be used for address; calling you 'Little Tian' or 'Yu-di' both invite execution. Who gave you this name? It's a bit too grand."

Lan Yutian shook his head and said, "I don't remember; I have amnesia. My brother doesn't know who gave me my name either."

Feeling pity for him, Bai Yuqiong asked, "Little Lan, where are you going?"

"I don't know," Lan Yutian honestly replied. "I don't know where I'm going, and I'm lost. So now, I'll just go wherever I end up."

Bai Yuqiong found herself both amused and full of affection for him. She smiled, "Since you have nowhere to go, why don't you come with me to the Grand Void? Wandering around like this isn't a solution. In the Grand Void, at least you'll have my protection."

Lan Yutian nodded, behaving very meekly.

Bai Yuqiong looked at his docile appearance, feeling both fondness and pity. She thought to herself, "His appearance resembles someone... although Celestial Venerable Mu acts quite domineeringly now, there's still a slight resemblance in the brows and eyes to Lan Yutian."

In the Land of Grand Void, within the Heavenly Court's territory, Qin Mu had already left the divine city guarded by Bai Yuqiong and arrived at the territory overseen by another Heavenly Court Celestial Master, Meng Yungui.