Chapter 211: Ah Bao‘s Divine Selection

“I really don’t understand how these rankings are determined.”

Luo Zifeng sighed, “Ah Bao, our Tiansheng Dynasty isn’t actually that weak in terms of national strength, but we’re at a huge disadvantage because we don’t have a national deity.

These rankings actually factor in the presence of a national deity. In the past, when Feng Kingdom was still around, it and our Tiansheng Dynasty were tied for last place. Then someone suggested ranking based on national deities.

The higher-ranked countries receive more abundant divine power.

Our Tiansheng Dynasty doesn’t even have a national deity, let alone divine power, so we securely hold the last place. On the other hand, Feng Kingdom, because they have a national deity, has actually risen by one rank. Sigh.”

“So basically, no matter what, the Tiansheng Dynasty is doomed to be last for eternity, huh?”

Luo Zifeng continued, “They all say that without a national deity, it’s a land of calamity, a place abandoned by miracles, a land not blessed. The Azure Dragon Divine Beast takes turns guarding each of the seven nations, staying in each country for a year.”

“What the heck! That’s so miserable! Even the Divine Dragon isn’t originally from the Tiansheng Dynasty?”

“This year, the Divine Dragon happens to be in our Tiansheng Dynasty. It has manifested its power in the other six nations but never in ours. However, the people have never given up and continue to worship it.

Although we don’t have a national deity, at least the Divine Dragon comes to guard the Tiansheng Dynasty. That’s the greatest comfort we have.”

“Suddenly, I feel that the Tiansheng Dynasty is so pitiful in front of the deities. Without a national deity, they’re thrilled even if a guardian deity comes to visit. It’s too sad.”

“We’re suffering because we don’t have a national deity. If it really came down to a war, I don’t think the Tiansheng Dynasty would be the weakest.”

“Are they bullying our Tiansheng Dynasty because we don’t have a national deity?” Ah Bao became a bit agitated, scratching her head. “I need to find a powerful deity to be our national deity so they won’t bully us anymore. But who should I find? That’s the problem.”

Hearing her thoughts, Di Zian’s legs went weak. “Sister, did your expression just change because you’re thinking about the national deity for the Tiansheng Dynasty?”

“Yes, yes!”

“Ahem, let’s just let nature take its course, okay? Let nature take its course.”

Little Ancestor, please don’t interfere.

He remembered last time when his sister seemed to have gone to the Stargazing Tower to chat with the Star Deity, possibly about the national deity issue, and the Stargazing Tower exploded.

Then she went to the Temple of the Matchmaker, probably also for the national deity issue, and that temple exploded too.

If she goes to chat with another deity, the whole capital might be turned upside down.

Ah Bao had no idea about Di Zian’s worries. Her eyes suddenly lit up. “I got it!”

Di Zian: ???

No way, who did she think of now?

Luo Zifeng looked at Ah Bao curiously. “Sister, did you choose a deity?”

Ah Bao nodded enthusiastically, her little pigtail bobbing along with her head. “Hehe, I’ll choose the Divine Dragon!”

“Isn’t that perfect? It’s already a guardian deity, but why is it running around guarding each country? Isn’t that tiring? It might as well become our national deity. Whether it’s guarding the gate or the home, it’s still guarding something. Oh my, I’m so clever! I need to go talk to the Divine Dragon about this.”

Di Zian: “…”

Luo Zifeng: “…”

“Brother, let’s hurry to the Divine Dragon Temple! I want to see what the Divine Dragon looks like.”

Di Zian: “Sister, suddenly my leg hurts…”

He couldn’t take her to see the Divine Dragon. What if the Divine Dragon got angry and flipped the whole capital?

Ah Bao pouted and put her hands on her hips. “Seventh Brother is lying. Ah Bao is mad.”

“Alright, alright, stop teasing Ah Bao. The Divine Dragon Temple is getting crowded. If we go too late, we won’t get a spot.” Luo Zifeng intervened to smooth things over.

When they arrived at the Divine Dragon Temple, it was already packed with people.

The three of them, two big and one small, managed to squeeze into a prime spot thanks to their sharp tongues.

Ah Bao looked at the Divine Dragon Temple, which was small and next to the main shrine. The entrance and height were less than half the size of the main shrine.

“This… is the Divine Dragon’s place really this small? Just a little room?”

“I thought it would be much bigger. Can it even fit the Divine Dragon?”

Di Zian chuckled. “Sister, how much gold and meat are you planning to offer?”

Ah Bao narrowed her eyes. “What?”

Luo Zifeng chimed in, “You know, our Divine Dragon shares the same tastes as Ah Bao: one, gold and silver; two, all kinds of roasted meats. This little room is actually where the Divine Dragon receives gifts. Its main domain is on the wall outside the shrine. You must have seen it when we arrived, the wall with the lifelike dragon carvings—that’s the Divine Dragon.”

“Oh my goodness, it even has a special place just to collect gifts. How resourceful!”

“And it has the same tastes as me? I’m a girl, is it? I’m a kid, is it?”

Ah Bao rolled her eyes and suddenly thought of something, her eyes gleaming brightly.

“So, this little room isn’t just any room, but a treasure trove filled with gold and roasted meats????”

“Oh my gosh, I’m rich! I’m rich!” Ah Bao rubbed her hands together instinctively. “I really want to go in and see whether it has more gold or my private stash does.”

Both brothers felt their hearts skip a beat.

Oh no, could Ah Bao be eyeing the Divine Dragon’s treasures?

“Wait, if this room is where the treasures and meat are kept, and the Divine Dragon guards all seven countries, doesn’t it have seven of these rooms?!”

“Seven! Oh wow! Can it eat all that? Can it spend all that?”

Di Zian and Luo Zifeng were both amused and exasperated.

Their little sister was now concerned about the Divine Dragon’s assets…

Ah Bao puffed out her cheeks. “Brother, is being a guardian deity really that cushy? Boohoo.”

“I want to be a guardian deity too, then I can just lie around doing nothing all day, how great would that be?”

At this moment, Ah Bao was extremely jealous of the Divine Dragon!

She was also burning with curiosity, eager to see the inside of the room.

“Noon is approaching, the Divine Dragon’s blessing ceremony is about to begin—” an elderly man came out and shouted to the crowd.

Ah Bao, Di Zian, and Luo Zifeng were all in the front row.

“Every time the Divine Dragon takes its turn guarding a country, it bestows blessings, selecting one person to enter the room and arrange the offerings. Over time, people have said that those chosen are extremely lucky, covered in divine favor,” Di Zian explained. “The last time this happened was seven years ago, and the chosen one was Hongluan. In thousands of years, it was the only time the Divine Dragon bestowed blessings. That year, Hongluan was three years old but became the talk of the capital.”

“Oh, so it didn’t happen before?”

Di Zian shook his head. “It might be because we don’t have a national deity that the Divine Dragon mostly just goes through the motions and never reveals itself. But even a glimpse of the dragon’s light is enough to excite people. I wonder if we’ll see it again this year.”

“Ah, the blessings are here—it’s the dragon light, the golden dragon light!”

The crowd erupted in excitement and chaos.

No one could understand the emotions of those who lived in a nation without a national deity. When the deity they worshiped finally appeared, they were overwhelmed with joy.

Even just a bit of the dragon’s light was enough to satisfy them.