Cang Che Reclaims the Western Region

Cang Che hurried over enthusiastically, only to be stopped outside the Gathering Fortune Pavilion.

Song Zi'an stood at the entrance, looking troubled.

"Second Highness, the Lord said he will not see you today."

Cang Che grew anxious. "I just want to pay my respects! Just one sentence!"

Song Zi'an shook his head. "The Lord said you paid your respects five times yesterday, seven times the day before, and the day before that..."

Cang Che quickly interrupted him. "That was different. Today I have official business!"

"What official business?"

Cang Che thought for a moment and squeezed out a line. "I... I'm here to report on the construction progress of the Eastern Region!"

Song Zi'an looked at him. "Second Highness, you are the Second Prince of the Eastern Region, not the Chief of Construction."

Cang Che was left speechless.

Song Zi'an continued, "The Eastern Region has only just begun its reconstruction. I recall Prince Cangming only returned there this morning. Where would this progress come from?"

Cang Che was stumped again.

He opened his mouth to say something but realized he truly had no legitimate reason.

Just as he was struggling, a voice came from behind him.

"Cang Che, what are you doing here?"

Cang Che turned around to see Su Xue.

Su Xue was wearing a jade-green dress and holding a basket containing several spirit herbs. She stood there looking gentle and soft.

Cang Che's eyes lit up.

"Miss Su Xue! I..."

Before he could finish, the doors to the Gathering Fortune Pavilion opened.

Chen Zhou's voice drifted out from inside.

"Su Xue, come in."

Su Xue nodded and entered with her basket.

The doors closed once more.

Cang Che stood outside, staring longingly at the door.

Song Zi'an looked at him sympathetically.

"Second Highness, perhaps... you should head back for now?"

Cang Che sighed and turned to leave.

But he did not give up.

The next day, he came again.

This time he had learned his lesson. Instead of going directly to Chen Zhou, he went to find Hong Ling first.

"Miss Hong Ling, I wish to share the Lord's burdens!"

Hong Ling was processing official documents and didn't even look up.

"How do you wish to share them?"

Cang Che puffed out his chest. "Whatever the Lord asks me to do, I will do!"

Hong Ling stopped her brush and looked up at him. Her gaze was calm, so calm that it made Cang Che feel a bit uneasy.

"Really?"

Cang Che nodded vigorously. "Really!"

Hong Ling was silent for a moment before she smiled.

The smile was gentle, somewhat similar to Su Xue's, yet different.

However, Cang Che felt that something was hidden within that smile.

"Good. Then go to the Western Region."

Cang Che was stunned.

"The... the Western Region?"

Hong Ling nodded. "Miss Su Xue is planning a desert reclamation project for the Western Region and needs manpower."

"The environment there is harsh, with little water or food. Ordinary people cannot handle it, but you are a sixth-stage merman with water-elemental divine abilities. You are perfect for the job."

"I just happened to receive a message from the Lord."

"The Lord also agrees that you should go and help Miss Su Xue with the watering. He said you may return only when the Western Region has turned green."

Cang Che felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

But since it was the will of Lord Dragon Ancestor...

He took a deep breath, puffed out his chest, and gave a solemn salute.

"Cang Che accepts the command!"

He turned and left with firm steps, never looking back.

Hong Ling watched his retreating figure and smiled without saying a word.

On the day Cang Che departed, many people came to see him off.

Lord Rat stood at the front, laughing so hard he couldn't stand straight.

Cang Che glared at him. "Lord Rat, what are you laughing at?"

Lord Rat wiped away his tears. "Nothing, nothing. This old rat just thinks that since you're going, you probably won't be back for three to five years."

Cang Che gritted his teeth. "It won't take that long. I'll turn the Western Region green very soon."

Lord Rat laughed even harder.

Poison-Wing was beside him, also looking full of schadenfreude.

"Second Highness, work hard. Don't embarrass our Eastern Region."

Cang Che glared at him. "You're one to talk about the Eastern Region? You're from the Southern Region!"

Poison-Wing said righteously, "I belong to the City of the Wrongfully Dead now!"

The two of them began to argue incessantly.

Su Xue stood gently to the side, waiting for them to finish before she spoke.

"Cang Che, let's go."

Cang Che took a deep breath and cupped his hands to everyone.

"Everyone, Cang Che takes his leave!"

He turned and followed Su Xue, striding out of the city.

When Cang Che reached the Yellow Spring Crossing and looked out, he saw only desolation, barrenness, and sand filling the sky.

Standing at the border of the Western Region, Cang Che looked at the endless desert and was completely dumbfounded.

He had thought Hong Ling's description of the environment being harsh was just a polite understatement.

He hadn't expected it to be this bad.

It was so bad that not a single blade of grass could be seen.

Cang Che's vision went dark, feeling that his life was hopeless.

With such a vast desert, how long would he have to spray water before it all turned into an oasis?

Even if he was squeezed until he became a dried fish, until not a single drop remained, it would still be impossible, wouldn't it?

..................

Another half a month passed.

It wasn't a long time, but it wasn't short either.

In the City of the Wrongfully Dead, everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

Another crop of blood bodhi in the spirit fields had ripened. Zhang Cuigu led people to harvest them, putting some into storage and sending the rest to Dingnai Hall.

Inside Dingnai Hall, Yu He was incredibly busy.

He stood before the stove, holding a small knife and gesturing toward a piece of golden-yellow meat.

Nearby, Song Zi'an crouched on the floor peeling garlic, stealing glances at his master as he worked.

Half a month had passed, and Yu He had grown significantly taller.

He had transformed from a four or five-year-old child into a young man in his early twenties.

His face was handsome, his gaze steady. He wore a plain white chef's robe with a black apron tied around his waist, exuding an indescribable aura.

Yu He focused intently on the meat in his hand.

The Golden Buddha's meat was sliced into thin pieces under his knife. Each slice was as thin as a cicada's wing and crystal clear, emitting a faint golden glow.

After slicing the meat, he picked up the nearby seasonings.

These seasonings were something he had researched over the past few days, formulated from various spirit herbs specifically to neutralize the addictiveness of the Golden Buddha's meat.

He sprinkled some seasoning on the meat slices, then lifted the pot and gave it a light shake.

The meat slices flipped in the air and landed back in the pot.

A rich fragrance permeated the air.

Song Zi'an swallowed his saliva.

Yu He glanced at him.

"Want a taste?"

Song Zi'an nodded frantically.

Yu He picked up a slice of meat and handed it to him.

Song Zi'an took it and carefully took a bite.

Then he froze.

The meat melted in his mouth, and a warm current rose from his stomach, flowing into his limbs and bones.

He felt as if his cultivation had increased slightly.

"Master, this is delicious!"

Yu He nodded and placed the meat from the pot into a food box.

"Take this to Diting."

Song Zi'an quickly took the food box and scurried off.

Yu He cleaned the stove and walked out of Dingnai Hall.

At the entrance, Yusai was crouching by the pond, staring at the frogs in the water.

Half a month had passed, and Yusai had also grown up.

He had changed from a child into a young man of similar age to Yu He.

His silver fish tail shimmered in the sunlight. His upper body was human, with smooth muscle lines and long, flowing hair, making him look quite handsome.