Chapter 70

At home, nine more mouths to feed suddenly appeared. But correspondingly, the increase in labor power leaped from a quantitative change to a qualitative one, making it a significant profit. After initial negotiations, that evening Ye Chen took Bi An’an back to the courtyard to tour the various planting and breeding projects.

“To the east of the watering area, I’ve concentrated on planting winter velvet grass, a total of 35,000 plants. The winter velvet flowers produced are made into health pillows and are always in short supply,” Ye Chen pointed into the distance. “To the west, we currently have over 2,000 Gui, Migu, Youtian, and Qingsi trees planted using cutting techniques. Uncle Li uses the Qingsi wood to make spiritual energy enhancers, which have just begun to sell online, but they’re still not enough. Now that the raw materials have grown into a batch, we’re short on hands…”

Bi An’an stood with her hands clasped behind her back, nodding frequently, resembling an experienced official inspecting a production base.

Not far away, Zhou Buchu was plowing the fields, sweating profusely. With his well-toned upper body exposed, he held a self-rolled Yuxi cigarette in his mouth and used an old, bald towel to wipe his sweat while talking on the phone. His scholarly, magnetic voice could be heard faintly.

“Yes, currently some large international mergers are focusing on these emerging fields…” Zhou Buchu took a few steps away, squinting as he observed the growth of the vegetable greens.

“The valuation is very high, reaching over a billion dollars…” He said, pulling out a few weeds as he spoke.

“It has driven the entire industry sector…” He single-handedly shoveled a piece of manure and tossed it into the planting pit.

Ye Chen, in sync, stepped forward to take the shovel from Zhou Buchu, allowing him to focus on analyzing the billion-dollar deal. Ye Chen expertly mixed the manure and quietly introduced to Bi An’an, “This is all self-fermented spiritual chicken manure. You see, the high-stem vegetable greens of the same variety, which I also planted, are shorter compared to this patch where we used market-bought fertilizer. In the future, if one of your nine dragon sons specializes in raising chickens, and we expand the scale of spiritual chicken farming, the manure supply will be more than enough. With such a large piece of land dedicated to spiritual plants, you won’t be able to finish it all.”

“Mm,” Bi An’an pondered, “Then let Ya Zi ^[1]Second son of the dragon among the nine sons born from the dragon and jackal union. It has the body of a jackal and the head of a dragon. He is always angry and ferocious. mix of a dhole (a wolf like … Continue reading specialize in raising chickens. He’s meticulous.”

“Try this as well.” Noting that Bi An’an had finished her spiritual cream strawberry, Ye Chen plucked two spiritual apples, handing one to Bi An’an and keeping one for himself. The late spring breeze was cold, making the fruits a bit chilly to the touch, but the sweet apple juice was perfectly refreshing. A few bites brought great satisfaction.

“Delicious, delicious!” Bi An’an, disregarding her image, chomped on the crisp apple noisily, her cheeks dotted with splashes of pale fruit juice. “I haven’t had anything spiritual for years, almost forgot how good spiritual plants taste…”

While ordinary people find spiritual plants exceptionally delicious, divine beasts gain an additional boost in cultivation from eating them, fulfilling the effect of spiritual energy, making it a double dose of happiness.

As Bi An’an enjoyed her food, Zhou Buchu returned from his call, shot her a fierce glare, and sternly said, “Don’t take advantage of me when I’m not paying attention.”

Bi An’an was momentarily stunned but then firmly shook out her sleeves and declared loudly, “How could that be? As the chief of the prison, I despise petty thieves the most.”

Zhou Buchu, complaining to Ye Chen, said, “Don’t be fooled by her righteous words. She’s the most skilled at stealing. During the great drought of the Northern Song Dynasty, she took advantage of me while I was sleeping to cut off my toenails, which she used to open a porridge shop for disaster relief, and there’s more…”

Ye Chen pondered for two seconds, then changed the topic, “What kind of taste is this porridge?”

“You little brat!” Zhou Buchu glared, “My toenail is worth ten thousand taels of silver! I’ll pull out a few leg hairs and it’ll be enough for you to eat for a year!”

“……” Ye Chen had been thinking about the snacks Shen Mofeng brought when he visited the set, but hearing this, he lost his appetite.

“Besides, during that time, she even secretly cut off my toenails to help repair river channels. I hadn’t earned enough silver to grow them back, and now she’s eyeing me again…” Zhou Buchu stamped his foot in frustration, “Bi’an, you thief! You… stop it already!”

The fear isn’t just about the thief stealing but also about the thief’s constant craving.

Bi An’an snickered.

Having seen enough, Bi An’an transformed behind a tree, shedding her clothes. Her human form was just over 90 pounds, slender and delicate, but her true form was as tall as a floor, with a physique resembling a lion. Her dense silver mane was straight and sharp, as solid as gold and stone. As she moved slightly, her silver fur rustled like needles.

“If you had to mess with me, I also have to mess with you…” Zhou Buchu muttered, stepping forward to pull out a tuft of Bi’an’s fur and show it to Ye Chen, “Look, her entire coat is made of needles.”

Ye Chen, curious, touched it and found it indeed prickly.

Zhou Buchu exerted force with both hands, and the tuft of fur snapped with a crack.

Bi’an’s nature was straightforward and righteous, even her fur was unbending.

“Roar—” Bi’an lay on the ground, howling continuously, “Roar—”

The sound waves were invisible, but Ye Chen distinctly felt a wave-like pressure moving over him, as if the air density suddenly increased, then decreased.

Zhou Buchu explained, “The nine dragon sons are connected by bloodlines and can communicate over thousands of miles. She’s calling the other eight to come over without needing a phone…”

Ye Chen looked enviously and echoed with Zhou Buchu, “Saves on phone bills.”

……

In the battle decades ago, Bi An’an was considered the least injured among the nine dragon sons. She was also the earliest to enter the world after awakening and the most knowledgeable about making money, leading eight siblings with flying colors.

As for the other eight dragon sons, some were still nestled in mountain corners, unaware of the time, getting up groggily when hungry to find something to eat, then burrowing back underground, in caves, or at the bottom of lakes to sleep for years or decades. The places where the dragon sons resided were often rumored by local villagers to be haunted by ghosts or mountain demons. Heads were often covered with talismans or charms by passing monks or Taoists, as if their entire existence was a viral meme for thousands of people.

Three of the dragon sons who awakened as early as Bi’an had not fared well—after all, living for thousands of years, divine beasts weren’t all concerned with the human concept of “money.”

Ye Chen heard from Bi An’an that the sixth brother, Bi Xi ^[2]Depicted as a dragon with the shell of a turtle. Stone sculptures of Bixi have been used in Chinese culture for centuries as a decorative plinth for commemorative steles and tablets. According to … Continue reading, who loved carrying tablets, was in a famous tourist city thousands of miles away carrying a stele. He had smashed the previous Bixi statue and thrown its remnants into the wilderness, replacing it himself. During the day, he turned into a stone sculpture, enjoying being pressed by the stele, while at night, when the tourist spot was empty, he would secretly place the stele into the merit pool to collect coins.

The fifth sister, Suan Ni ^[3]Suan Ni looks like a lion and was so well known for its patience that Buddha chose it to be his steed. Buddha is often depicted sitting or resting on top of Suan Ni. Likes to play with fire and smoke., who loved burning incense and staying still, was hired by the Asian gambling king, Qin Wensheng, to calm his blind old mother’s home. She regularly posed as a stone lion in the courtyard, with an incense burner burning day and night. As long as she stayed still, someone would take care of her. Occasionally, in the middle of the night, she would move to expel invading evil spirits or malicious wandering souls and, if necessary, would transform into human form to feed the old lady with heart-saving pills.

The most handsome of them all, Ya Zi, awakened around the same time as Bi An’an. After Bi An’an established herself in the circle, she planned to introduce her second brother to the industry for acting and earning money. However, Ya Zi’s personality was too vengeful. A certain influential figure’s young master, attracted by his appearance, tried to engage in unspoken rules ^[4]Exchanging s*x for favors/resources with him. In the middle of it, instead of succeeding, Ya Zi ended up… taking advantage of him.

“……Jie,” Ye Chen timidly raised his hand, “Isn’t there something off about this part? Are you sure it’s not a mistake?”

Bi An’an calmly replied, “He’s always like that, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”

“Oh,” Ye Chen said obediently, “Got it.”

And then it’s still a matter of payback…

As it turned out, Ya Zi and the clueless young master still hadn’t settled their differences. Ya Zi couldn’t adapt to mortal work and, unlike the other two calm and indifferent dragon sons, was fascinated by the mundane world of humans and reluctant to return to the mountains to catch rabbits. He had been supported by Bi An’an for a while and was now working as a game streamer at home under the pseudonym “I’ll Kill You with One More Look.” Recently, he had become obsessed with playing PUBG, and his short temper had led him to go viral—anyone who hit him would be pursued to the ends of the earth. He wouldn’t enter the safe zone if it was within three meters of the edge; he would rather die from the poison and take his opponent down with him than miss the chance to push them out of the safe zone! His motto was, “Damn PUBG! I’m going to take you down today!”

Ye Chen was shocked: “I’ve seen his video!”

It was the infamous rabid streamer!

The remaining five dragon sons had not yet awakened, but after several decades, even those who hadn’t fully recovered had been well taken care of and could now get back to work.

……

A few days later, except for Suan Ni, who couldn’t leave due to the Asian gambling king not granting leave, the eight dragon sons and daughters summoned by Bi’an had gathered in the Mountain and Sea Realm.

Having been separated for many years, the siblings hadn’t seen each other but had only heard their voices. Therefore, each dragon child had to first catch up with their siblings. After the last sluggish Bixi arrived, Ye Chen let them catch up while he idly passed the time nearby.

“xx Mountain Scenic Area Bixi Stone Sculpture Mysteriously Stolen…”

Ye Chen clicked on this news with a small account and saw a comment in the hot replies suggesting that Bixi had run away, frantically stirring up discussion and guiding the narrative.

Special Sweet Red Fuji at 12 a pound: “You guys are imagining too much; it was actually stolen.”

Special Sweet Red Fuji at 12 a pound: “Strength, democracy, civilization, harmony…”

Special Sweet Red Fuji at 12 a pound: “How could Bixi possibly be real? Hahaha.”

While he was clearing Bixi’s name, Bixi slowly squatted down, holding the curious Xuanwu baby in his left hand and the small medicine shell-bearing Pulei Cub in his right hand, and with evident sadness, said, “Xuanwu and Pulei… have become… so small… Do you remember… before you two fell… we three were known as… the Three Slow Ones in the Realm…”

So the three of them were even known for their slowness… Just imagining the Three Slow Ones battling each other made Ye Chen feel short of breath.

Xuanwu Cub listened to Bixi and a glimmer of light slowly kindled in its round eyes.

Qiongqi Cub observed the situation and spoke for Xuan Xuan, “Xuanxuan wants to know when he can speak as fast as you.”

Xuan Xuan slowly rolled its eyes and cast a grateful glance at Qiongqi, saying, “Yes…”

Bixi laughed heartily, “Ha… ha… ha…”

Ye Chen took a deep breath in anxiousness, “Hoo—”

Bixi said, “When you all… turn a hundred years old… you’ll be as fast as me…!”

“Uh, An’an Jie?” Ye Chen opened the thumbnail of the Diao Shu Tong Mountain Cave restoration and decided to cruelly interrupt the Three Slow Ones’ reunion, “Should we start assigning tasks?”

……

With Bi An’an acting as a labor intermediary, communication between Ye Chen and the dragons went smoothly. It was ultimately decided that Qi Niu ^[5]Qiu Niu, the divine creature in ancient Chinese mythology and the eldest son of the Dragon King among the Nine Sons of the Dragon, has a deep fondness for music. Legend has it that among the many … Continue reading and the fire-dispelling Chi Wen ^[6]Ninth son of the dragon. (Hybrid of fish and dragon) a creature that likes swallowing, are placed on both ends of the ridgepoles of roofs (to swallow all evil influences). would handle the daily maintenance of the Spirit Wood Area and Winter Velvet Grass Area. While taking care of the forest, they would also learn about spirit wood cuttings, focusing on expanding the planting range of Qingsi wood and Youtan.

Chao Feng ^[7]Third son. Enjoys danger and also delights in vigilance, often depicted adorning the corners of temples with its distinctive form.symbolizes auspiciousness, beauty and majesty, and also has the … Continue reading and Pu Lao ^[8]4th brother. Looks like a dragon, but is smaller in size, and likes to roar. It is said that Pulao lives by the sea and fears whales most. Represented on the tops of bells, used as handles. decided to learn farming techniques from Ye Chen. Under Ye Chen’s friendly guidance and assistance, they began to develop exclusive spiritual plant fields for several dragon sons.

Bixi and Fuxi ^[9]8th Son. Shaped like a dragon and likes literature. focused on the reconstruction of Diao Shu Tong Mountain Cave, collaborating with Ye Chen on planting mountain crops.

Bi An’an, involved in both the entertainment industry and charity work, was not as idle as the others. She found time to work on online store products with Li Li and held regular meetings with the dragon sons. Any feedback or changes to the dragon sons’ work could be conveyed through Bi An’an, eliminating the risk of offending anyone directly.

As for the most difficult one, Ya Zi, Ye Chen was reluctant to deal with him, fearing that any misstep might lead to resentment from the vindictive dragon. While struggling with this, Bi An’an noticed Ye Chen’s reluctance and took matters into her own hands. She decisively said, “Second Brother, you can take on some of the previous Pixiu and Li Li’s tasks. They are less difficult and should be easier to learn.”

Hearing it was easy to learn, Ya Zi raised his eyebrows and responded arrogantly, “Fine… I’m just too lazy to learn.”

Bi An’an, bold and audacious, said, “Have you seen the twenty chicken coops? There are two hundred and forty spiritual chickens inside. Your task is to…” Bi An’an leaned in and whispered to Ye Chen, “What exactly is it again?”

Ya Zi: “?”

What’s wrong with my sister?

Ye Chen stole a glance at Ya Zi and mumbled with a hint of support.

After a few murmured words, Bi An’an repeated them: “Second Brother, you need to clean the chicken manure, mix the chicken feed, collect eggs, and make sure the hens don’t brood… Also, for the fish in the water, feed them twice a day with fish food and chopped boiled eggs. Prevent them from fighting; any that do should be caught and put in a water tank. If you see fish eggs, scoop them out and place them separately in a basin. Don’t let the eggs freeze in the water… In a few days, when Li Li finishes the pigsty, also take care of the two pairs of young pigs in the pen. Clean their waste. How does that sound? Simple, right?”

Ya Zi’s eyes nearly popped out in fury as he gritted his teeth and said, “You little wench! Helping outsiders bully your second brother!”

The thousand-year-old little wench responded slowly, “Who do you think has been supporting you at home these years… Besides, Xiao Ye is not an outsider. The Mountain and Sea Realm is our home, and he is the master of the house. In theory, he can command all the beasts of the world. I don’t need to help him bully you. If Xiao Ye is in a bad mood one day and places a restriction on you, you won’t even be able to enter the Mountain and Sea Realm.”

Ya Zi shot a venomous glare at Ye Chen and said slowly, “You dare.”

Ye Chen also glared back with equal intensity and replied slowly, “I, don’t, dare!”

A true man, even if scared, must show a resolute and unyielding demeanor!

Bi An’an: “…”

Ya Zi had never seen Ye Chen like this and was momentarily at a loss, unsure how to be angry with him: “…”

The author has something to say:

Magic mirror, magic mirror, tell me what the focus of today’s comment section is ╰(*°▽°*)╯

I guess it’s one of the following: praising my impressive attributes, complaining about the three slow ones in the realm, requesting side stories about Ya Zi and the clueless young master, or critiquing the chapter full of issues…

Chen Chen: What’s wrong with me being timid? I’m the most resolute timid person there is!

With all eight long-term workers present, Chen Chen is ready to soar!

Miss Suan Ni has other uses; she’ll make an appearance in a few chapters… There are several versions of the Nine Sons of the Dragon, and I picked one at random～