Li Daoxuan reached out and picked up the Great Sage action figure.
He pinched the Ruyi Golden Cudgel between two fingers and calmly pulled it free from the Great Sage's grasp.
The poor Monkey King, entirely unaware that his divine weapon was about to be repurposed as a drainage tool, maintained the same proud, unyielding expression.
Li Daoxuan weighed the staff in his hand and flexed it slightly.
Excellent.
The hardness was exceptional—true alloy construction. The surface gleamed faintly, sturdy, reliable, and clearly capable of enduring abuse far beyond its intended "collectible" purpose.
He extended the staff and lowered it toward the diorama box.
At that very moment, the cotton farmers were staring anxiously at the sky.
After the Saintess had spoken, they had waited with utmost sincerity for Dao Xuan Tianzun's divine intervention.
Ten breaths passed.
Then twenty.
Then several dozen.
Nothing happened.
The rain continued to pour in sheets, and dread crept steadily into their hearts.
And then—
The clouds split apart.
From the heavens descended a massive staff, thick and imposing. Its central body gleamed silver, its ends shone gold, and along its length were clearly engraved four bold characters:
Ruyi Golden Cudgel
The cotton farmers gasped.
"Wow—!"
"The Golden Cudgel!"
"Isn't that the weapon of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong?"
"Why would it appear here?"
"Did Dao Xuan Tianzun… borrow the Great Sage's staff?"
Before anyone could ponder further, one end of the Golden Cudgel plunged directly into the main drainage canal.
With a casual sweep—
Boom!
Mud, sand, gravel, and compacted earth were blasted aside in a roaring surge.
The canal was instantly cleared.
Yellow, turbid water thundered forward, rushing into a nearby tributary, then onward into the Yellow River itself.
Standing water in the cotton fields drained away at once.
Cheers erupted.
"Long live Dao Xuan Tianzun!"
"The Golden Cudgel is truly divine!"
"Dao Xuan Tianzun! Dao Xuan Tianzun!"
Just as the shouts reached their peak, Gao Yiye spoke calmly:
"Dao Xuan Tianzun has departed."
Everyone froze.
"…Huh?"
She said solemnly, "Dao Xuan Tianzun has gone to assist farmers in other regions."
Only then did understanding dawn.
Ah—of course.
Such torrential rain wasn't limited to this place alone.
Everyone bowed deeply toward the heavens.
"Dao Xuan Tianzun is truly benevolent!"
The storm raged on.
Across the land, farmers were thrown into frantic motion.
Even Gao Family Village was thoroughly soaked by the downpour.
Yet its people remained perfectly calm.
Gao Family Village's infrastructure was exceptional. Not a single drainage channel was blocked. The moment the rain fell, water dispersed smoothly through the network and flowed down the mountain slopes.
However—
A serious problem emerged in the Valley of Exiles, where the people of Qingjian County lived.
Nestled within a basin-like mountain valley, the area had been safe during years of gentle drizzle. It had slumbered peacefully, like an old dog basking in the sun.
But torrential rain was another matter entirely.
Water poured down from every surrounding slope. Small streams appeared seemingly out of nowhere, converging toward the valley floor.
Soon, water reached people's doorsteps.
Just as panic spread—
Help arrived.
A large team of Gao Family Village technicians rushed in, hauling enormous steam-powered water pumps.
They connected long hoses and began drawing water directly from the valley bottom, discharging it into the nearby mountain stream.
At last, the valley residents could breathe again.
In Jishan County—
Mo Xiaopin, draped in a straw rain cape, sprinted through the storm.
As both militia commander and instructor, he carried the weight of countless lives on his shoulders. With rain like this, how could he not be anxious?
He raced along the edge of a field, shouting to his subordinates:
"What's the situation? Can the drainage channels handle it?"
A subordinate answered in panic, "No! They can't! Several fields are already waterlogged!"
"Why not?" Mo Xiaopin roared. "Were you slacking off? Didn't you dig them properly?"
The man shouted back, "It's been dry for over three years! Who would've expected the heavens to turn like this?"
"Damn it!" Mo Xiaopin bellowed. "Call everyone who can move! Hoes, shovels—anything! Move!"
People surged forward.
And then—
The clouds split open.
A gigantic golden hand, clutching the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, reached down from the sky.
The people of Jishan County recognized it instantly.
"It's the immortal friend of the Jiwang Temple—Dao Xuan Tianzun!"
"The Jiwang Temple has invited Dao Xuan Tianzun again!"
"The Golden Cudgel!"
The cudgel plunged into the drainage ditch.
One sweep—
Whoosh!
Water surged through, pouring massively into the Fen River.
"It's flowing!"
"It's open!"
Cheers thundered.
Mo Xiaopin laughed in relief, then cursed loudly:
"Don't rely on Dao Xuan Tianzun for everything! This is our Jishan County! After the rain stops, you'd better clean every ditch and channel—don't embarrass the Jiwang Temple!"
On the Yellow River—
A small civilian merchant ship struggled desperately.
This vessel didn't belong to Gao Family Village. It lacked electric propulsion and relied entirely on sails and oars.
It had departed from Mengjin County in Luoyang, bound for Gudu Ferry to purchase salt.
Since Xing Honglang took office as Hedong Military Preparations Commissioner and Salt Administration Commissioner, salt production had soared.
Though official quotas dropped, private salt flooded the civilian market.
Merchants from Henan eagerly seized the opportunity, dispatching ships again and again.
This vessel's owner was named Jiang Cheng.
He had already completed five trips and knew the rules well.
Anyone wearing the embroidered Dao Xuan Tianzun on their chest was considered family.
Having experienced the meticulous care shown to fellow believers at Yongji Ferry, Jiang Cheng had joined the Dao Xuan Tianzun Sect himself, sewing a cotton-thread emblem onto his chest.
Business had been smooth—too smooth.
Five shipments had filled his coffers.
But this sixth journey—
Might claim his life.
The storm howled.
The Yellow River churned violently, waves rising and smashing against the hull.
The small cargo ship tossed like a leaf.
Clinging to the mast, Jiang Cheng roared, "To shore! Get us to shore!"
A subordinate screamed back, "Master! We can't control her!"
"…Is this the end?"
Jiang Cheng clasped his hands and prayed desperately:
"Dao Xuan Tianzun, protect me! Though I joined recently, my heart is sincere! Please—save my life!"
The moment his words left his mouth—
The cotton-thread Dao Xuan Tianzun on his chest suddenly grinned.
"Everyone," it said cheerfully,
"Hold tight to the masts."
"We're about to take flight."