Qi Qi ignored Qi Yuan's words.
Whenever she encountered something she couldn't understand, she defaulted to assuming there was a generation gap between her and her ancient godfather. It was only natural that she wouldn't understand.
"How about I go to Feihuang City to look for a solution? There are many immortal masters there who are proficient in agriculture."
Hearing this, Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "I've got it! Leave this matter to me!"
If immortal masters were proficient in agriculture, why couldn't he visualize a great god who governed farming?
If Qi Yuan remembered correctly, both Hou Ji and Shennong were gods in charge of agriculture.
According to some ancient texts, Hou Ji was the ancestor of the Zhou dynasty and a son of Heaven. He served as chancellor during the reigns of Yao and Shun, and was the first person to store grain in state granaries and establish the system of ridge-and-furrow cultivation.
He had once bestowed seeds upon the common people, teaching them how to farm, and was revered as the God of Millet and the God of Agriculture.
As for Shennong, his fame was even greater. Who on Blue Star didn't know the story of Shennong tasting the hundred herbs?
However, when he thought about how exalted their status seemed to be, Qi Yuan felt his evil god spiritual power probably wasn't enough to visualize either of them.
He had no choice but to settle for second best.
Returning to the shrine, he entered the visualization chat group once more.
The group was bustling with excitement.
"*Sigh*, this venerable one has visualized another Scarce God Visualization Art, while someone seems to have failed again," Venerable Shenmiao remarked in the group.
He seemed to be dissing the group admin, Dong Jianghe.
"Hmph, a bunch of old men looking down on a Youthful Heavenly Emperor, are you?" Dong Jianghe retorted.
"You're worthy of being called a Youthful Heavenly Emperor? Origin Celestial Venerable seems far more qualified than you," Venerable Heilong chimed in.
At that moment, Dong Jianghe noticed something and asked cautiously, "Origin Celestial Venerable, are you coming in to visualize this time?"
"Yes," Qi Yuan replied.
"Which True God are you planning to visualize this time?" Dong Jianghe asked tentatively, trying to sound out Qi Yuan's plans.
Otherwise, if more and more group members took off while he fell behind, his right to yap would diminish further and further.
"I originally wanted to visualize a powerful one this time, but unfortunately I have too little evil god spiritual power.
"So, I plan to visualize a... weaker one," Qi Yuan replied.
In his understanding, that god indeed seemed quite weak.
Hearing this, Dong Jianghe beamed with joy.
Finally, he wasn't visualizing a powerful one!
His title of Youthful Heavenly Emperor was safe!
"It's fine. Visualizing a Common 1-Star isn't bad either," Dong Jianghe couldn't help but say. "After all, not everyone is like Venerable Baixi with one Epic and three Rares.
"And I... am destined to surpass Venerable Baixi!"
The group members immediately began mocking Dong Jianghe again. "Heavenly Emperor Dong, when are you going to visualize another Rare?"
Qi Yuan greeted the people in the group and entered the visualization grounds once more.
A towering Mountain of Visualization loomed before him.
In his mind, the image of the god he wished to visualize immediately surfaced.
"Resembling an elderly man, holding a goosefoot staff.
"White beard, white hair, a genial smile on his face."
Instantly, within a small shrine, the figure of an old man with a white beard appeared.
At times, a monkey with a thunder-god beak would suddenly strike the ground, and this little old man would hurriedly pop out from the earth.
The Mountain of Visualization presented the Two Inquiries of the Heart once more.
Qi Yuan followed the same procedure, illuminating himself directly with his Stellar Golden Core.
After a few breaths had passed, the Mountain of Visualization suddenly shone with brilliant light.
A God Visualization Art materialized in Qi Yuan's hands.
Meanwhile, the three portions of evil god spiritual power in his possession had all vanished.
Among them, one was even at the Purple Mansion level.
A look of surprise flashed in Qi Yuan's eyes. "He's actually that much stronger than the Howling Celestial Dog?"
Yet on second thought, the incense offerings this god received were not on the same level as the Howling Celestial Dog's at all, so it made sense.
Holding the God Visualization Art, Qi Yuan exited the Mountain of Visualization.
At that moment, the chat group remained lively.
"Just now, golden light flashed brightly on the Mountain of Visualization. Did someone produce an Epic?
"Origin Celestial Venerable went in just a moment ago—could it be him?" Venerable Shenmiao asked in the group.
Dong Jianghe said hurriedly, "He already said he was visualizing something very ordinary this time. How could it be an Epic?
"Besides, as I see it, Origin Celestial Venerable only has the potential of Sky Treading Step Three. It's impossible for him to know so many rare True Gods."
"Heavenly Emperor Dong, don't speak too soon!"
"Let's wait and see!"
"Oh, Origin Celestial Venerable is out! Hurry and tell us, what did you visualize this time?"
Looking at the group messages, Qi Yuan smiled wryly. "I got lucky this time and visualized an... Epic 1-Star."
Even he hadn't expected that an obscure little old man would actually be an Epic 1-Star.
"What? Origin Celestial Venerable, you shouldn't make jokes like that!" Dong Jianghe said.
"I'm not lying to you. It really is an Epic 1-Star. This time, I visualized the Earth God."
The Earth God also governed a portion of agricultural affairs.
Some ancient texts recorded that the earth deity was Houtu.
What Qi Yuan had visualized was the Earth God from his memories.
"The Earth God? What kind of True God is that? I've never heard of it!"
"Was there really such a great god in ancient times?"
"Heavenly Emperor Dong, I'm about to visualize too—come mock me quick!"
"Get lost!"
"I think there won't be a Heavenly Emperor Dong anymore, only a Dead Duke Dong. It should be the Origin Heavenly Emperor!"
The group messages buzzed with excitement as everyone lavished praise on Qi Yuan.
Even Venerable Baixi appeared to join in with a few compliments, while also urging Qi Yuan to leave the fallen territory.
"Origin Celestial Venerable, you visualized an Epic 1-Star? Your future is promising!" Venerable Tianbao said in the group. "I happen to have a few treasures that can help someone break through to True God. I probably won't need them, so how about I give them to you?"
Qi Yuan immediately felt that the group was mostly filled with good people.
"No need, no need, Venerable Tianbao. Keep them for yourself. In a while, I'll treat you to a feast!"
"All right..."
"If you don't want them, Godfather Tianbao, I do!"
"Godfather Tianbao!"
Qi Yuan exited the chat group.
In his hand was an additional God Visualization Art for the Earth God.
*Who should I give this God Visualization Art to?*
Qi Yuan thought of Qi Qi.
Yet thinking about it, having a young girl like Qi Qi become an Earth God would look far too jarring.
*Xiaoxue is a good choice!*
Qi Yuan promptly made up his mind.
...
"Miss, I'm hungry! I want to eat pork!"
The maid Xiaoxue had rolled up her trouser legs and was working diligently planting crops in the field.
"Don't slack off. Finish the work, then go raise the pigs. There'll be plenty of pork to eat!" Qi Qi had long since abandoned the airs of a young mistress, toiling away at farm chores in the field.
"What do you think Lord God meant by finding a solution?" the maid Xiaoxue couldn't help asking.
Qi Qi froze slightly upon hearing that. She was curious too. "This matter... I'm not sure either."
The longer she spent with her godfather, the more unfathomable she found him to be.
"Miss, that crazy old woman is here again," the maid Xiaoxue said, pointing at an old crone on the ridge of the field.
Seeing the old crone, Qi Qi furrowed her brows tightly.
She heard the old crone mumble incoherently, "You were born of noble flesh—how could you do such lowly chores?
"Miss, come away with me. Leave this remote mountain village!"
Hearing this, Qi Qi frowned even deeper. "First, farming concerns the sustenance of all people under heaven. It isn't lowly.
"Second, I am not your young mistress, nor will I leave with you. If you keep talking nonsense, I'll have Big Black chase you away."
Hearing Qi Qi's words, the mad woman couldn't help sighing, "Leave, leave."
Her mind clouded, she ran off while babbling, eventually disappearing from sight.
"Don't pay any attention to that crazy woman in the future!" Qi Qi instructed.
"Miss, what if what she says is true? What if you really come from a noble background and possess a powerful bloodline?" the maid Xiaoxue couldn't help asking.
"What good would that do?" Qi Qi blurted out.
Right now, she was thoroughly immersed in the joy of cultivating her godfather, enjoying it without end.
"Even if I have a noble bloodline, wouldn't I still have to cultivate and work hard myself?
"That's exhausting. It's much better to cultivate Godfather. I think Godfather has the potential of a Great Venerable!" Qi Qi said.
The maid Xiaoxue nodded, feeling that her mistress made sense.
Just then, a voice transmission reached their ears.
A strange look appeared in Xiaoxue's eyes. "Miss, the master is calling for me."
"Let's go, I'll come with you." Qi Qi was also puzzled as to why her godfather would call for Xiaoxue out of nowhere.
Could it be that something had gone wrong with Xiaoxue's pig-raising?
The two arrived at the shrine and immediately saw Qi Yuan sitting on a stone stool.
"Take a seat, Xiaoxue. I have a God Visualization Art here. Do you want to cultivate it?" Qi Yuan got straight to the point.
Qi Qi was taken aback.
She hadn't expected her godfather to come up with another God Visualization Art so quickly.
And he was offering it to Xiaoxue instead of her.
She thought it over: it had to be because this God Visualization Art was of a lower rank than the big black dog's, and her godfather was saving a better one for her.
Her godfather giving it to Xiaoxue was a sign of his trust in her.
"I do!" The maid Xiaoxue had never imagined such a wonderful windfall would fall upon her.
"However, cultivating this God Visualization Art might have a tiny side effect," Qi Yuan said.
"What side effect?" the maid Xiaoxue asked, unconcerned.
"It might make you short." This was merely Qi Yuan's conjecture; in truth, he didn't know either.
Even so, it was better to mention it beforehand, lest Xiaoxue harbor resentment if she really did grow shorter.
"That kind of side effect isn't a problem at all. If worst comes to worst, Xiaoxue, you can just use a spell to make yourself tall again," Qi Qi said generously.
It was just an ordinary God Visualization Art, so giving it away was no big deal.
Hearing that, Xiaoxue nodded vigorously. "I want it!"
"Good. This is the God Visualization Art. Take it and study it!" Qi Yuan handed the shimmering golden God Visualization Art to the maid Xiaoxue.
Beside them, Qi Qi's eyes went wide. "Golden light... Epic 1-Star?!"
She could no longer sit still!
She had thought it was just an ordinary God Visualization Art.
Yet it turned out to be an Epic, even more precious than the big black dog's!
"Godfather, giving away something so precious is too wasteful!
"Actually, your daughter wants to become shorter too and return to Godfather's embrace!" This was an Epic 1-Star; she couldn't stay calm.
An Epic 1-Star was guaranteed to produce a True God, provided there were breakthrough treasures.
As Qi Qi spoke, she deliberately transformed into the likeness of a young girl, her height reaching only Qi Yuan's waist, looking rather adorable.
Qi Yuan smiled. "There will be one for you in the future. Let's give this one to Xiaoxue. It suits her better."
Hearing this, Qi Qi looked utterly dejected. "Godfather..."
An Epic 1-Star God Visualization Art was simply too rare!
She couldn't balance her feelings.
It felt as though her own God Visualization Art had been given away to someone else.
After all, she was currently helping her godfather grow stronger, and she felt that what belonged to him belonged to her as well.
Xiaoxue was her maid, yes, but someone who fed pigs didn't deserve an Epic 1-Star.
"It's fine," Qi Yuan chuckled. "Xiaoxue, give this God Visualization Art a try."
The maid Xiaoxue glanced at her mistress, but ultimately unable to resist her anticipation, she took the God Visualization Art.
She immediately entered a state of deep contemplation.
"Godfather, you can't feed fine grain to wild pigs!" Qi Qi said helplessly.
Ultimately, it was her godfather's art, and giving it to whomever he pleased was his choice; she had no right to object.
Yet her heart remained unsettled.
"It's fine. Once we kill more evil gods, there will be more God Visualization Arts," Qi Yuan said.
"Godfather, I'm just afraid you'll run out of stock in your belly!" Qi Qi said.
After all, there were only so many gods who had received incense offerings in ancient times.
Nearly all of the supreme ones had already been visualized by others.
There weren't many left at the Epic tier.
As for Legendary, they were even rarer.
And Mythic... none had probably appeared in hundreds of years.
A silent night passed, with Qi Qi watching Xiaoxue with a look of deep resentment.
Qi Yuan, on the other hand, hugged Xiao Jia and climbed into his pit to sleep.
The next day, blood-red light shone upon the earth once more, and Qi Yuan felt refreshed and invigorated.
He had leveled up again.
He looked at Xiaoxue, satisfaction showing in his eyes. "Not bad, Purple Mansion!"
The God Visualization Art really boosted cultivation quickly.
In Qi Yuan's tiny territory, there were already two Purple Mansions.
The maid Xiaoxue opened her eyes, delight brimming within them. "Thank you, Master! Thank you, Miss!"
Qi Qi's expression remained resentful. "*Sigh*, Xiaoxue, it looks like you'll be going out to conquer other villages in the future, while I can only watch from behind."
Advancing to Purple Mansion meant Xiaoxue was now a major combatant.
"The origin divine ability Xiaoxue awakened in the Purple Mansion realm might differ from others. Her combat strength is quite ordinary; what she excels at most is protecting the land and managing agriculture," Qi Yuan said.
The Earth God was never a combat-oriented deity to begin with.
And he sensed that the origin divine ability Xiaoxue had awakened was also related to farming.
"What?" Qi Qi's eyes widened upon hearing this. "The god Xiaoxue visualized holds a divine office? And it's for agriculture? How is that possible? Isn't the one in charge of agriculture Great Venerable Youlong?"
Yet Great Venerable Youlong had been visualized countless times long ago, making it impossible for anyone to cultivate it to the Purple Mansion realm and awaken an origin divine ability related to farming.
Qi Qi was thoroughly baffled.
Now she was being told there was another god in charge of agriculture?
What did that mean?
Where had he come from?!
Chapter 178