A Divine Farmer

C7 – The Magic Corn

Clearly, it was an impossible situation. If it had been a concrete pool, it could drain water out no matter its size, but there was no water visible on the surface now—it was all within the soil. How could it be drawn out?

Yet, just as Zhang Xiaoloong pondered over this, a dense earthy yellow light emanated from his palm and sank into the ground.

The subsequent turn of events left Zhang Xiaoloong even more astounded. After the earthy yellow light penetrated the ground, it remarkably expelled the water that had seeped into the soil.

What heightened his curiosity was that what was originally concealed beneath the surface seemed to be unveiled to Zhang Xiaoloong. He could distinctly perceive the yellow light gradually forcing the water out of his field.

“This yellow light is the Immortal Qi Divine Power within the Shennong Tripod. Ever since I began practicing the Imperial Dragon Spell, the yellow light, which once resided in the cauldron, appears to be accessible to me!” Zhang Xiaoloong found himself rather thrilled by this realization.

Empowered by the Divine Power, what was formerly an insurmountable challenge became remarkably manageable.

Once he grasped the sequence of events, Zhang Xiaoloong promptly commenced directing the Divine Power. The Immortal Power, which was originally intrinsic to his character, was harnessed with precision. Instead of water rushing indiscriminately from the center, under his control… it flowed more gently, leaving a moderate amount behind and distributing the rest to the surrounding areas.

In a matter of moments, the mud-laden cornfield transformed into solid ground, akin to a field that had basked in the sun for days after a downpour. Even the heavens seemed to be in a favorable mood. As Zhang Xiaoloong ceased his efforts, the incessant three-day rain also came to a halt.

Observing the sight before him, Zhang Xiaoloong found himself at ease. This time, his father should have no more reasons to worry.

……

As Zhang Daniu was dragged out of the house by his son, he was immensely reluctant. Yet, once his eyes landed on the surroundings, his astonishment was unparalleled.

The terrain he had seen earlier was essentially a muddy expanse. He had fretted about getting stuck if he attempted to venture in. Now, however, the ground was solid. While it remained moist and soft beneath his feet, it was light years away from the previous mud.

What was even more curious was that the ground wasn’t only devoid of mud; even the corn stalks weren’t damp. He unwrapped the husk to expose the ear of corn inside. It was plump, the kernels full and abundant. Strangely, they were as desiccated as if they’d been sunbathing for days.

“Good heavens, this is miraculous!” Zhang Daniu marveled, holding the cob in his hand.

“Xiaoloong, what’s happening?” Liu Mei was equally puzzled. “Why did your dad see you in the mud? You’ve only been here once. Not only did the field water evaporate, but the corn dried up too? Is it possible that divine intervention is real?”

“Divine intervention? Not at all,” Zhang Xiaoloong earnestly explained. “This is science. There’s a profound understanding of geography involved. It requires an extraordinary coincidence for such a magical transformation. Both you and Dad lack prior knowledge, so this is quite difficult to comprehend. However, you should remember one thing: this is exceedingly coincidental, and after a few days… this condition will vanish, and the humidity may return. Thus, we need to promptly harvest the corn, or we’ll truly miss the opportunity.”

“Is that really the case?” The elderly couple asked skeptically.

“Absolutely true. If you’re having doubts, we could wait a couple of days to verify, but we don’t have that luxury of time. The Sky Water might rise again by then, and our corn field would be ruined,” Zhang Xiaoloong spoke earnestly.

Hearing this, the elderly couple genuinely took his words to heart, and anxiety set in. Even with all three of them working swiftly, they could only salvage a few acres’ worth of corn. If the water were to rise again, it meant waiting two more days, essentially back to square one.

Consequently, the couple skipped further discussion and immediately set to work.

Zhang Xiaoloong observed the situation and regretted having spoken too much. Yet, now that he’d already voiced it, rectifying his words wouldn’t be appropriate. All he could do was intensify his efforts.

As he moved, a gentle energy flowed through him, rendering fatigue non-existent. Zhang Xiaoloong recognized this as the divine power bestowed by the Imperial Dragon Spell and the Shennong Tripod. They had brought about a transformation in him.

With the passage of time, this energy no longer posed the same challenge to control as before. His actions grew swifter and smoother, to the extent that he wasn’t even aware his every movement resembled a shadow.

Liu Mei found herself perspiring heavily from the busy activity. As Zhang Xiaoloong inadvertently bumped his head into hers, she wiped her face with her sleeve. She was about to suggest her son take a break when she was suddenly struck dumb. “Finished?”

Zhang Daniu too halted his motions. It wasn’t due to fatigue, but because he realized the ground was now bare. A significant heap of corn had already accumulated in the center.

“Yes, it was quite swift!” Zhang Xiaoloong responded with composure.

Zhang Daniu gazed up at the sun slipping out from behind the clouds. “Curious, what kind of phenomenon is this?”

“Well, it’s tapping into one’s inherent potential. I’ve heard that during critical moments, a person can muster strength several times their normal capability. When you guys heard the urgency, you worked swiftly. It’s a common occurrence,” Zhang Xiaoloong explained.

Liu Mei gave her son a glance and then glanced back behind her. She seemed to have pondered something but chose not to delve further.

Zhang Xiaoloong let out a relieved sigh. Moments ago, he was immersed in harnessing his strength. Luckily, he realized just in time and evaded the notice of his busy parents. Even so, there wasn’t much remaining. The corn in the field had all been gathered within two hours. It indeed appeared unusual. Luckily, his parents didn’t press for details.

The father and son began loading the corn onto the flatbed. After three trips, they finally transported all the corn back to the yard. Zhang Xiaoloong’s exceptional strength meant he hardly needed Zhang Daniu’s assistance to finish the task.

Darkness had already enveloped the sky by this time. Liu Mei had finished preparing dinner. Spotting their return, she brought a basin of water for washing up and proceeded to prepare porridge.

“This year’s freshly ground corn flour. Give it a try,” Liu Mei beamed as she placed the porridge before her son. “Although we haven’t counted precisely, just look at the size of the corn cobs. This season has yielded an abundant harvest.”

Typically, newly harvested corn would be sun-dried for a few days before the kernels were fully dehydrated and ready for grinding into noodles. However, this time, due to the three days of rain, the corn had dried out in an astonishing manner. Liu Mei had chosen to directly grind it into corn noodles.

“Flour made from new corn kernels? Let me have a taste right away,” Zhang Daniu became intrigued upon hearing this. He grabbed a bowl and took a sip.

“You’re already drinking? How is it?” Liu Mei awaited his verdict, but after Zhang Daniu took that first sip, he kept on drinking, slowly and without uttering a word.

“Sweet…” Zhang Daniu’s eyes gleamed, “It’s not only sweet, but also fragrant, and… You should try it too, and wait, bring me another bowl, I’m not satisfied yet.”

“Look at you, you old gourmand. You just had a bowl of new corn porridge. You’re acting like you’ve tasted the Emperor’s delicacy.” Liu Mei playfully scolded him while handing her husband another bowl.

“Delicacy? Hey, I’m not exaggerating. Even the Emperor might not have savored porridge this fragrant before!” Zhang Daniu voiced with a hint of dissatisfaction. Grasping the bowl of porridge, he tilted it back and gulped it down as if it were chilled water.

“Mom, you should give it a try too!” Though Zhang Xiaoloong refrained from drinking, he could sense that when he employed his Divine Power to remove the water from the corn, a remarkable transformation occurred within the kernels. The flavor was bound to surpass that of regular corn due to the infusion of divine energy.

“The longer I live, the more useless I become!” Liu Mei teased with a smile, her voice filled with fondness. Raising her bowl of porridge, she took a sip. Yet, after just one mouthful, she was left momentarily stunned. Immediately, she took a second mouthful, then a third, and…