Chapter Twenty-One: The Church of Abundance (Request for Recommendation Votes)

“That national advisor is very suspicious.”

As soon as Ma Xiaotao returned to their residence, she spoke to Dai Yaoheng with a grave expression.

The development of events had somewhat exceeded her expectations. Her original intent in this mission was to convey her thoughts to the emperor and to probe why he suddenly removed the Sea God from the position of the chief deity.

What she did not anticipate was that the emperor seemed utterly indifferent to who held the chief god’s status. Even when he clearly rejected her request, his casual gestures and expressions plainly conveyed this indifference to Ma Xiaotao.

This realization made her understand that the origin of the imperial decree was indeed consistent with the intelligence brought by her companions—it was the national advisor’s doing, and he was never a mere scapegoat!

Ma Xiaotao wondered what gave him the courage to face the divine punishment that could strike at any moment. This unknown element filled her with unease.

Hearing her words, Dai Yaoheng rolled his eyes in silent exasperation and said irritably, “Of course, I know he’s off. Guess what I just saw? Those nobles and ministers actually showed something like devotion in their eyes! It really startled me!”

Born into one of the most elite noble families, Dai Yaoheng was well aware that these upper-class folks usually bowed at the sight of a god, but true faith or devotion was virtually nonexistent.

So when they displayed genuine reverence for the God of Abundance, Dai Yaoheng was nearly dumbfounded.

“No, it’s not just that. He gave me a very bad feeling, it’s like…”

Like a monster disguised in human skin!

Though outwardly a normal person without any soul power, when Lu Chun stood close before Ma Xiaotao, the evil flame suppressed by the Xuanming Douluo inside him suddenly blazed up fiercely, yet it did not cause Ma Xiaotao to lose control.

It was as if a weak beast instinctively felt fear upon encountering a higher-level predator, reflexively making defensive and intimidating moves.

Beyond that, she even found herself wanting to draw closer to Lu Chun, as if there was something about him that stirred a deep yearning within her.

Shaking her head to cast away these thoughts, Ma Xiaotao said, “In any case, avoid contact as much as possible. Since he said he won’t pay attention to our actions—whether that’s true or not—at least we have that statement on our side. Our plan can avoid many unexpected troubles.”

At that moment, the door was knocked. They exchanged a glance, both puzzled about who could be seeking them at such a time.

Opening the door, they saw a woman wearing a half-mask. She said, “The master requests your presence.”

With that, she handed over a silver token, engraved with a magnificent black swan poised to take flight.

Dai Yaoheng immediately recognized the token’s owner and whispered to Ma Xiaotao. After a moment’s hesitation, she accepted the token and followed the woman away.

…

Time passed little by little. The news that the Douling Emperor had returned to rule after more than a decade became mere small talk among commoners.

To them, who ruled was irrelevant. Instead of worrying about politics, they cared more about the crops in the fields and whether they would starve this year.

The true upheaval was caused by the sudden appearance of the national advisor and the decree he issued.

Unlike the nobles, who knew more and possessed more, and hence maintained a basic reverence for the gods—after all, the distance between them was immense—the common folk, who owned nothing and toiled from dawn to dusk just to survive, found their faith in the Sea God to be their very reason for living.

Everyone was familiar with the Sea God’s story: his soul was the omnipresent Blue Silver Grass, which even livestock refused to eat, yet he used this soul to defeat the evil Martial Soul Hall and ultimately ascended to godhood.

Such an inspiring tale ignited a flame of hope in anyone who heard it, making them believe they, too, might one day rise from hardship like the Sea God.

Passing down from generation to generation the hope that if they themselves failed, their children might succeed, and if not their children, then their grandchildren, they never truly rose, yet their faith in the Sea God remained deeply rooted.

Even when hungry and in pain, they would still place offerings before the Sea God’s statue.

Therefore, when the decree reached every corner of the empire, the voices of resistance rose to a fever pitch, igniting a wildfire from a single spark!

They understood well that attacking officials or the government would only hand their enemies a pretext, so instead, they gathered before the temple, hand in hand, forming a human wall to block the way.

Facing this human barrier, the officials’ faces darkened with bitterness. While they could have arrested these peasants outright, without sufficient evidence, they could not detain them long. If released, they would simply return.

Even if they could hold them indefinitely, the officials dared not do so—without these peasants, who would tend the fields? Surely, the diligent and benevolent nobles would not be expected to farm!

Soon, their troubles were resolved by visitors from the capital. These guests wore uniform white robes, each adorned with some plant-based accessories. When questioned about their identity, they answered devoutly:

“We are followers of Abundance. We come from the Church of Abundance. We convey the will of Abundance. We sow the seeds of Abundance.”

Upon hearing that these were the believers of the God of Abundance, who had replaced the Sea God, the officials were overjoyed and immediately explained their current plight, asking them to resolve it.

The Abundance followers seemed indifferent but still accompanied them to the temple, then, to the officials’ initial confusion and later astonishment, set up stalls.

Some lit fires to cook, others set up tables to treat the sick. Soon, the air was thick with the rich aroma of food, mingled with the scent of various herbs.

Officials hurriedly asked what they were doing. They replied, “We are planting the seeds of Abundance.”

“The healer once saved us; now it is our turn to heal others.”

The Sea God believers blocking the temple became wary upon witnessing this strange scene, suspecting the officials were up to some new trick.

The smell of food wafted into their nostrils, teasing their taste buds. They swallowed repeatedly, trying to resist the enemy’s cunning stratagem by avoiding eye contact.

As they shifted their gaze, someone warmly waved and called out, “Come on, everyone! The food’s hot! You can stand back after you’ve eaten!”

This was the final straw. The tension snapped. Once the first person stepped forward, the human wall collapsed like thunder, and the crowd surged forward!

The followers of Abundance cheerfully said, “Don’t rush! There’s plenty of food. Please queue in an orderly fashion!”

When people received a bowl of the fragrant meat porridge, something they had only dreamed of before, tears welled up uncontrollably as they drank eagerly, regardless of the heat.

After finishing, another Abundance follower approached with a smile, asking, “Still hungry? Here, have another bowl!”

“Oh… oh! Please, another bowl! Th-thank you!” The man dumbly handed over his bowl and blushed as he stammered his thanks.

“No need to thank us,” the smiling person said, placing a hand on his chest with solemn devotion. “May the God of Abundance bless you!”

Believing it to be a special custom, the Sea God believers imitated in kind.

“May the God of Abundance bless you!”

The seed had been sown. With time, it would sprout and one day become golden wheat fields!