"What! Fenghuang has awoken?" Zhenzhu was stunned. Could Baihu’s roar have triggered it? Soon, the cries of the Black Hawk Sect members filled the air as they rushed out to see the sky with excitement and joy. One hundred years, a century of waiting, and finally, Fenghuang had awoken! Baihu roared defiantly. How dare it flaunt its power in front of ben gongzi? At that moment, Xiao She, who had been coiled up in Zhenzhu’s sleeve, slithered out and expanded to its original size. It raised its head and hissed threateningly. "Um, you two are in someone else’s territory. Don’t roar at him," Zhenzhu told them. However, it wasn’t long before Fenghuang flew to Grandmaster Huo Bi’s residence, where the He family stood in awe. It swooped down in front of He Ming and tilted its head, scrutinizing him as if evaluating merchandise. "Why is it looking at me like that?" He Ming was alarmed. Was it planning to eat him? At that moment, Molan ran in, looking astonished. "Young Master, please accept the bond with Fenghuang," she knelt before He Ming. They had never seen Molan lose her composure before, but now she knelt and bowed to He Ming without fear of losing her dignity. Soon, the area around Grandmaster Huo Bi’s residence was filled with members of the Black Hawk Sect, all kneeling to He Ming with hopeful eyes, including the eight elder guardians. "W... What is this?" He Ming was bewildered. "Young Master, Fenghuang has chosen you. It wants to form a bond with you. Please, accept the bond." They had waited for this person for 100 years. It must be said that semi-divine creatures were exceedingly proud and would not easily form bonds with humans. But when they chose someone, it was considered a great fortune. "I... I..." He Ming stuttered, unable to form words. He was confused. The situation had happened so suddenly that he didn’t know what to do. "Everyone, please calm down. My son is not ready to form a bond at this time. Let’s address this after our current matters are resolved," He Lei intervened, seeing that his son was at a loss for words. Their concern was to solve the drought problem, not to form a bond with a beast. Even though Fenghuang was a semi-divine creature, it was the guardian creature of the Black Hawk Sect. If his son agreed to the bond, who knew what obligations with this sect might come with it? “Master, I must apologize for our impulsive actions. We shall return another time,” said an elderly man, acknowledging their breach of etiquette. Soon after, the members of the Black Hawk Sect began to disperse. Grandmaster Huo Bi brought out his equipment, now indifferent to whether Fenghuang had awoken or not, as he had another semi-divine creature willing to help. “Huh, is that a snake?” He noticed Xiao She for the first time. “Oh, that’s our pet, Master,” Zhenzhu replied. “Is it a semi-divine creature as well?” Grandmaster Huo Bi inquired, sensing a similar divine power. “Um...” Zhenzhu was unsure if it was a semi-divine creature. If it were a dragon, then perhaps it was a semi-divine creature. “Never mind. Let’s start painting,” Grandmaster Huo Bi said, laying out a mat on the ground, spreading the drawing paper, and started painting. Baihu cooperated fully, emanating a blue aura of divine creature around Grandmaster Huo Bi. The kind of aura Zhenzhu had never seen. But after an hour, Baihu’s blue aura began to weaken, not as strong as when they began. “What’s happening? Why is Baihu’s power diminishing?!” Zhenzhu exclaimed. Could it be that Baihu’s divine energy is not enough? At that moment, Fenghuang flew closer to Grandmaster Huo Bi and, like Baihu, enveloped the old man with its fiery red aura. Xiao She surprised Zhenzhu even more by joining in, emitting a green aura. One person and three semi-divine creatures together were creating the soul of deity. The He family could only anxiously wait to see whether it would succeed. This time, they could only pray for success. After two and a half hours, the painting was finally completed. Zhenzhu quickly fetched water from a jar near the residence and handed it to the elderly man. “Here, Master, please drink.” “Thank you, young girl.” “Did it work, Master?” she asked eagerly, looking at the painting. It depicted a mountainous landscape with streams, a large man wearing clothes made of leaves and animal skin, holding a willow branch and dancing in the rain. Zhenzhu was stunned to see that the man seemed almost alive and the rain in the painting appeared to fall to the ground. The strokes were perfect and lifelike, as expected of a white-tier grandmaster painter. “We don’t know if it worked. We have to test it.” Grandmaster Huo Bi reached out and touched the painting for a long while, channeling his spirit energy to release the soul within it. Suddenly, a thunderous roar shook the ground. A wisp of smoke emerged from the painting, forming into a man holding a willow branch. The man from the painting! He began to sing a song and danced with the willow branch, his movements both powerful and graceful. The sky darkened instantly. Drip. A raindrop dropped on Zhenzhu’s cheek. “It’s raining!” He Yu shouted. The He family jumped and hugged each other in joy. They had succeeded; they had found a way to end the drought. Soon, the rain began to fall more heavily, and everyone rushed into Grandmaster Huo Bi’s residence to take shelter. The rain continued to pour, while Deity Yushi dancing in the rain. After more than an hour, he stopped dancing and turned back into smoke, returning to the painting. Shortly thereafter, the rain ceased, and the sky cleared up. “Master, we did it.” Zhenzhu turned to Grandmaster Huo Bi, the man who made this miracle happen. “It was thanks to all of you as well,” Grandmaster Huo Bi said, tears streaming down his face. His dream of several decades had finally come true. “Master, may we use this painting to help the people in need?” He Lei asked politely, knowing that the painting was diligently crafted by Grandmaster Huo Bi. Since it was the other’s possession, he must ask for permission before using. “Why not? I’ve spent decades painting to use my art to help people.” “Thank you very much. I will return it once we’re done.” “There’s no need to return it. Use it for the benefit of others. I’ve already signed my name on it anyway.” No matter what, once they used this painting, people would learn that it was his work. The He family received the painting without much trouble, and He Lei carefully stored it in his dimensional ring. They planned to leave the next day to help those people as soon as possible. However, when they returned to their lodging, they found the elders of the Black Hawk Sect waiting in somewhat shy demeanor. “Young Master, you’re back,” one of them said immediately upon seeing the He family. They were eager to know what decision the young master would make. “Please forgive us. Allow us a moment to discuss this matter,” He Lei said. The elders were anxious. “Oh. Please, take your time discussing, Master and Young Master. We can wait,” an elder said, but they didn’t leave. The He family felt the pressure as they walked inside. “Big Brother, what should we do?” Zhenzhu asked once they sat down. Forming a bond with Fenghuang would be beneficial, but only if it wasn’t the Black Hawk Sect’s guardian creature. “It’s not a guardian creature. Those humans believe it is. How could a semi-divine creature become a guardian for a group of humans?” Baihu interjected. “Oh, it’s not? Then why does the Black Hawk Sect think Fenghuang is their guardian creature?” Zhenzhu asked, confused. “They offer sacrifices to it, which makes it feel somewhat pleased. That’s why it stays here. If it wants to leave, it can do so at any time. Those humans can’t bind it.” “Oh, I see.” But this was something her older brother had to decide for himself. “I want to form a bond with Fenghuang, Father,” He Ming decided after thinking for a long time. Firstly, Fenghuang was a semi-divine creature, and secondly, he liked it very much. He wondered what it would feel like to soar in the sky. “But we need to ask the people of the Black Hawk Sect first. If you form the bond and they want to keep you here for life, what will you do?” He Lei was still worried. “In that case, we should consult with them first,” Zhenzhu said. The He family decided to consult with the elders of the Black Hawk Sect. To their surprise, the matter was very simple. They didn’t require much from He Ming. Once he formed a pact with Fenghuang, he would become the new young master of the Black Hawk Sect. He could learn all the martial arts of the sect and have skilled teachers instruct him, as long as he agreed to contribute to the sect’s prosperity. “What does it mean to contribute to the sect’s prosperity?” Zhenzhu asked. The source of this content ɪs 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢•𝕟𝕖𝕥 “When there is trouble, you help to eliminate it. When there is joy, you share it. Just by having Fenghuang as a bonded creature, the people of the Black Hawk Sect will be respected throughout the martial world. That’s how prosperity is ensured.” “But I can’t stay here,” He Ming said. “That’s not a problem, Young Master. Our sect has members in every city across the Yan Region. If you wish, we can send martial arts masters to teach you wherever you are.” He Ming was silent for a long time, his expression very serious. Finally, he nodded, deciding to form a bond with Fenghuang. “Thank you, Young Master. Elder Jin, prepare the ceremony quickly,” one of the elders was nearly bowing to He Ming in his joy. Soon, Elder Jin invited He Ming to perform the pact ceremony. “This way, Big Brother will be able to learn martial arts as he wished,” Zhenzhu remarked while waiting for He Ming. “It’s Ming’er’s fortune. He loves practicing martial arts, so he will be fulfilled,” He Lei said. “Coming to Kongque Valley was very worthwhile, Father. We even obtained the soul of Painting’s Deity. I wonder how wide an area the rain covered.” “Three to five cities,” Baihu answered. “So, the rain that just fell also covered other cities?” Zhenzhu asked, astonished at the power. “No, there is a formation here. If you want the rain to fall outside, you must use the painting outside the formation. However, you can’t use the painting frequently. Doing so defies the heavens and is considered challenging a sky. Each use costs the summoner twenty channels of spirit energy,” Baihu said. “Oh. Why didn’t Grandmaster Huo Bi tell us that it would cost spirit energy?” Zhenzhu complained. If she wanted it to rain every day, wouldn’t she lose twenty channels of spirit energy daily? That would be 200 channels in ten days. Was this too much of a cost? But if she wanted to help people, she would have to pay for it. If she wanted it to rain for a whole month, would she lose 600 channels of spirit energy? That’s too much! “If A’Zhu doesn’t want to lose spirit energy, the one who painted the picture should use it. That way, no spirit energy will be lost.” “Oh, I see.” That was why Grandmaster Huo Bi didn’t lose any spirit energy. “But this painting won’t last long. In just two years, the power of us, the semi-divine creatures, within it will return to their owners,” Baihu said. “That’s alright. As long as it helps us get through this year’s drought, people will be better prepared to manage water in the future.” The next morning, after He Ming formed the bond with Fenghuang, the He family began their journey back to Fengfu City. Before leaving, Zhenzhu tried to persuade Grandmaster Huo Bi to return with them, but the old man had lived here for many years. He grown fond of the valley and wanted to spend his remaining years in Kongque Valley. Though disappointed, Zhenzhu did not force him. As they traveled out of Kongque Valley, Zhenzhu couldn’t help but ask Molan to stop and collect herbs along the way. Many rare herbs that couldn’t be found outside were abundant here. She intended to gather their seeds for cultivation. Some of the herbs she didn’t even recognize, but Molan told her those were good, prompting her to eagerly collect them. “Big Sister, Big Sister, look at this! What kind of seed is this?” He Yu and He Lei, who were also gathering herbs nearby, called out to her. “Let me see,” Zhenzhu ran over. The seed was long and narrow, similar to a grain of rice but much larger. It had a smooth, golden surface and was lying in a seashell near a small stream. Zhenzhu picked it up to examine it. What kind of seed grows on a seashell? Or did it fall from a tree? She looked up but saw no seeds on the trees above. Perhaps it had been washed down by the stream. “Big Sister Molan, what kind of seed is this?” She asked the local. Well, then. Let’s keep it anyway. She tossed it into her dimensional bracelet indifferently. After collecting a satisfactory number of herbs, they continued their journey out of Kongque Valley. When they reached Zhuzi City, Molan handed something to He Ming. “This is the personal jade of the young master. Show this jade, and all members of the Black Hawk Sect will obey your commands.” She handed the jade to He Ming respectfully. He Ming, with a small bird perched on his shoulder, accepted the jade with equal reverence. “Big Sister Molan, farewell. Please visit Fengfu City when you have the chance,” Zhenzhu said. After parting ways with Molan, the He family set off immediately. They used the soul of Painting’s Deity in Zhuzi City first. The rain brought immense joy to the townspeople, who danced and sang in the rain. Zhenzhu felt a deep sense of pride at the sight. However, the rain also made the He family’s journey back more difficult, since it caused the road to become muddy and the water to pool in an uneven road. It took them six days and five nights to finally reach Fengfu City. “Master, Miss, Young Master, you’re back. Furen was very worried,” Peipei ran out to greet them joyfully. “Peipei, where is Mother?” “Furen went to the city. Today, the Governor announced that Taizi will visit Fengfu City.” “Huh? Taizi is coming? Why?” "I heard the townspeople say that Fengfu City has managed to handle the winter and drought problems well, so His Highness is coming to our city to observe the water management and apply it to other cities," Peipei explained proudly. “Oh,” Zhenzhu responded. “Father, bring out the painting quickly. We should release the soul of Deity Yushi,” Zhenzhu said to her father. “Do you want to use it yourself? I can use it instead.” Using the painting once would consume 20 channels of spirit energy. “It’s fine, Father. I can cultivate spirit energy quickly. I’ll do it myself.” Using the painting once would consume as much as 20 strands of spiritual energy. “Alright then,” He Lei took the painting out of his dimensional ring and handed it to his daughter. Zhenzhu grabbed an umbrella and went to the back of the field, passing through the formation out of the field. It was a mountain area where no one was likely to pass by. She placed the painting down and infused it with spirit energy to release the soul of Deity Yushi. Soon, smoke rose just as Grandmaster Huo Bi had done. Deity Yushi began to sing and dance with the willow branches, performing the familiar song she had heard before. The sky quickly darkened, and soon after, rain began to fall. Zhenzhu opened her umbrella. Initially, there were only a few drops, but soon it felt as if the sky had cracked, pouring down torrential rain onto the ground below. The clear water in the retention dam turned muddy as the soil and mud slid down. She quickly picked up the painting and ran back to the house. By then, her clothes were soaked through. Meanwhile, the people in the city cheered with joy. How could they not be happy that the sky suddenly turned dark and the began to rain? It had been so long since they had seen rain. “How did it start raining all of a sudden?” “Exactly. It was just sunny and clear a moment ago.” “I think it must be due to Taizi’s presence. We’ve been here so long without rain, but as soon as he arrives, it rains.” “Really? He must be very auspicious.” “Yes, that’s the power of the blessed,” the townspeople speculated and chatted, waiting to witness the Crown Prince’s majestic presence. In the early morning, Shi Wenlang toured Fengfu City with his companion. Dressed in simple cotton attire, he didn’t bring a single guard with him. Zhao Yong Saiweihao now dressed in rough commoner clothes without any jade or silver ornaments as well. The two young men inspected the water diversion system, the wells, and the canal dredging. They were impressed. It was a pity that other cities could not do the same. As they walked into the town, they saw groups of people waiting expectantly for someone. “When will Taizi arrive? I want to see him already.” “Exactly. I’ve been waiting for a long time. Didn’t the Governor say Taizi would come?” “How would I know? He might come tomorrow.” “Sigh, that’s true. I’m waiting in vain.” The townspeople were waiting to witness the Crown Prince’s presence. When Shi Wenlang and Zhao Yong Saiweihao entered the city, they were surprised. The information from the ombudsman had described Fengfu City as a small town where the living conditions were quite poor, with most residents earning their livelihood by gathering herbs and farming. The annual taxes collected were insufficient, necessitating financial support from the government. However, this year, Fengfu had not requested the usual annual subsidy. Instead, they found that the living conditions were far better than expected. The city walls were grand, the townspeople wore fine clothes, and the houses were sturdy with fine materials. There were far fewer beggars compared to other cities. A glance around revealed that nearly half of the people in the city were spirit energy cultivators. Trade was flourishing, and it left no trace that this was the same impoverished city reported the previous year. "Why does Fengfu City have so many spirit energy cultivators?" Yong Saiweihao was astonished. From a soldier’s perspective, having spirit energy cultivators were beneficial for recruiting soldiers, but such cultivators were usually scarce and did not have enough during wartime. He had not expected to find so many young men who were spirit energy cultivators here. "There are more spirit energy cultivators here than in a major city," Wenlang said, observing a strong man working as an employee at a pharmacy. The man lifted two large baskets of herbs with one arm as if those weren’t heavy at all, indicating he was another spirit energy cultivator. "Even laborers are spirit energy cultivators." When they looked around, there were spirit energy cultivators everywhere. Boys and girls, even some slaves following their masters, were spirit energy cultivators, causing them to panic. Wenlang immediately called for the shadow. "Find out why Fengfu City has so many spirit energy cultivators.” Perhaps they have developed a new method of spirit energy cultivation that doesn’t rely on consuming spirit plants and spirit-enhancing pills. "Yes, Your Highness," the shadow vanished instantly. Read ‘Rebirth: This Farmgirl Has Spirit Fish Scales’ before anyone else with more Chapters at https://www.jinovel.com/en