Fishing an Eternal Divine Dynasty from the River of Fortune

Chapter 11: Black Soil Hills

Fifty li west of the prefectural city lay the place Jiang Zhaoming had chosen.

It was late autumn, near dusk, and there was already a faint chill in the air.

Zhou Fan, dressed in a woolen coat, was herding sheep across a patch of sparse grassland.

He glanced at the sky and thought it was about time to go home—his mother should have already warmed the goat milk for him.

Just as he was about to drive the flock back toward the village, the earth suddenly trembled.

Zhou Fan’s face turned pale with fear as he realized that his view of Pingxi City in the distance was shifting—from level sight to a downward angle.

Even more terrifying, he noticed that the “grass” on the ground was growing at a shocking rate, soon reaching half the height of a man.

Suppressing the panic in his heart, Zhou Fan immediately tried to herd the sheep back home.

But to his horror, the more he ran down the mountain, the farther he seemed to be from the foot of it.

He was, after all, still a boy—experiencing such an unnatural event, it was inevitable that his mind went blank with fear.

He plopped down onto the ground, no longer caring for the sheep, and simply burst into tears.

At the same time—

This strange phenomenon was quickly noticed by others, and a fast report was immediately sent to the prefectural city.

Inside the royal manor, Fan Kang rushed in, shouting at the top of his lungs as he ran.

“Your Highness! Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!”

Jiang Zhaoming, who was practicing martial arts in the Martial Hall under the guidance of Qin Wei, wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked up just as Fan Kang entered.

“Your Highness, it’s bad! A great anomaly has appeared outside the city!”

Jiang Zhaoming raised a hand to stop him, speaking calmly, “There is no need to panic, Prefect. I am already aware of this matter.”

Fan Kang’s face remained tense. “Your Highness, why has a mountain range suddenly appeared on the outskirts of the city? Could it be that a mighty cultivator has acted?”

At that, Jiang Zhaoming pretended to ponder seriously before shaking his head.

“Unlikely. Those with such divine power are few under the Vast Heavens. How could one appear in Anxi Prefecture?”

Fan Kang still looked deeply troubled.

“Have you sent anyone to investigate?”

He quickly bowed. “Yes, Your Highness. I have already dispatched scouts earlier—the report should arrive soon.”

Jiang Zhaoming nodded. “Regardless of the cause, send the remaining garrison to that area and ensure the safety of the commoners.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Once Jiang Zhaoming had given his orders, Fan Kang hurried away to mobilize the city’s troops.

Watching the bustle of the royal manor, Jiang Zhaoming, though already knowing the outcome, chose not to speak of it yet and simply waited for Fan Kang’s report.

“Uncle, let’s continue training.”

When Jiang Zhaoming turned to look at Qin Wei, he noticed his uncle’s expression was unusually grave.

“A-Ming, there must be something strange about this event. Even your grandfather might not be able to achieve such a feat. Why don’t I take you—”

Jiang Zhaoming quickly raised his hand to interrupt. “Uncle, let’s wait for the frontline reports first. It’s too early to draw conclusions now.”

He couldn’t help feeling helpless toward his overly cautious uncle.

Wasn’t his uncle being a bit too careful?

He then pulled Qin Wei along to continue guiding him in his martial practice.

During training, Jiang Zhaoming was pleasantly surprised to find that his cultivation efficiency had increased severalfold compared to before.

The blood and energy within his body surged like a roaring river, every punch and stance flowing smoother than ever.

It was not hard to guess that this must have been the effect of his Innate Talent · Extraordinary Constitution.

As a transmigrator, what fascinated him most in this world was its martial cultivation.

Especially after hearing Zhang Feng describe Yan Chen summoning thunder with a wave of his hand on the battlefield to annihilate the enemy—his heart had burned with yearning.

“This is far more exciting than being some mere prince… though being an invincible ruler sounds pretty good too.”

Jiang Zhaoming continued practicing his punches, already daydreaming about the future.

To have crossed into a cultivation world—who wouldn’t long to live long and become invincible under heaven?

“A-Ming, take a break first. Drink this bowl of tiger blood soup.”

After Jiang Zhaoming finished his practice, Qin Wei brought over a large bowl of crimson soup.

Jiang Zhaoming accepted it, suppressing his discomfort at the sight of the thick red liquid, and downed it in one gulp.

The scalding liquid entered his throat, instantly turning into a torrent of heat that surged through his limbs and bones.

“Good! A-Ming, strike while the iron is hot!”

Jiang Zhaoming immediately stabilized his stance and began circulating his blood energy according to the foundation technique.

He could clearly feel the hot current being swiftly absorbed, transforming into pure qi and blood power.

Qin Wei nodded repeatedly as he watched from the side.

He remembered that back in the imperial capital, this young nephew had been pampered and spoiled, unable to endure the slightest hardship.

But after coming to Anxi for training, not only had his temperament grown more steadfast, his dedication to cultivation had become astonishing—it was as though he had turned into a completely different person.

Half an hour later, Jiang Zhaoming finished his practice and rose to his feet.

Qin Wei stepped forward to help relax his muscles, then exclaimed in surprise, “Good boy, you’ve already reached the Fourth Layer of the Tempering Bones Realm! Your martial talent truly is remarkable.”

“Uncle, don’t praise me like that.” Jiang Zhaoming laughed and shook his head.

“With all the heavenly treasures I’ve been consuming, it would be strange if I didn’t improve.”

But Qin Wei shook his head solemnly. “Eating is one thing; absorbing is the true talent.”

“Ordinary people are lucky to absorb thirty percent of what they take in. You, however, have absorbed at least eighty to ninety percent. If that’s not talent, what is?”

Jiang Zhaoming smiled without replying, though inwardly he was already planning his future cultivation path.

The Extraordinary Constitution would make his progress smooth before reaching the Divine Power Realm—but afterward, it might not be enough.

According to Qin Wei, martial cultivation before and after the Divine Power Realm was as different as heaven and earth.

Before reaching the Divine Power Realm, even a perfected practitioner at the Blood Refining Realm was merely stronger than ordinary men, with a lifespan no different from theirs.

But once one broke through to the Divine Power Realm, their lifespan would soar to three hundred years, and they could draw upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, wielding all sorts of mysterious techniques.

To Jiang Zhaoming, that was already akin to cultivating immortality.

“It seems that while pacifying Anxi, I must also find a way to break through to the Divine Power Realm as soon as possible.”

He clenched his fists, a glimmer of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the hall.

“Your Highness! Great news!”

Fan Kang burst in, face flushed, clutching a glowing yellow slip of paper tightly in his hand.

Jiang Zhaoming set down his teacup and asked, feigning curiosity, “Prefect Fan, what brings you in such haste?”

Fan Kang’s hands trembled with excitement as he respectfully presented the paper.

“Your Highness, look! This is an urgent message from our scouts, sent via transmission talisman!”

Jiang Zhaoming accepted the slip, studying it as though he were seeing it for the first time.

Golden characters slowly surfaced upon the yellow paper, the words growing clearer as his gaze moved over them.

“You mean to say—a stretch of black earth hills covered in ripened wheat has suddenly appeared within the borders of Anxi Prefecture?”

“Absolutely true, Your Highness! The scouts report that the wheat is growing splendidly, with heavy golden ears—each stalk yields three times that of normal wheat!”

Fan Kang’s face was radiant, his excitement unmistakable.

Jiang Zhaoming paced within the hall for a moment, then suddenly turned and declared firmly,

“Pass down my order! Immediately mobilize the elite forces of the city garrison, and summon the local militias to swiftly harvest the grain!”

Fan Kang promptly responded, “At once, Your Highness!”

“Wait.”

Jiang Zhaoming stopped him, a faint smile curving his lips. “This heaven-sent blessed hill shall be named ‘Black Soil Hills’.”