10: Xue Qinghe's silence was a golden statue!

"Divide this money among the uncles and aunties. I'll keep a portion for myself; it's enough for my expenses," Yu Mengzhang said.

"!!!"

Everyone's expressions changed once more.

These Commoners had never seen so many gold coins before.

Working all year round, they might only earn five or six.

Now, with Yu Mengzhang wanting to directly give them money, they all stared at him in a daze.

The Village Chief slapped his own face with a loud "smack." "Not a dream? Mengzhang, you... where did you get so much money?"

Yu Mengzhang replied, "I won the intra-clan Spirit Fight. This is the prize money."

Upon hearing this, the Village Chief burst into hearty laughter, rubbing his hands together excitedly, tears glistening at the corners of his eyes.

"Good! Good! Truly worthy of being a hero's son! Mengzhang, you've made something of yourself! If only your parents... ahem, this is wonderful!"

The Village Chief was babbling incoherently.

The others also began to speak up one after another, their faces beaming with smiles.

"I always said the clan must have made a mistake! How could Mengzhang be weak? His parents were so formidable!"

"Exactly! Now Mengzhang has proven himself! He's sure to have a great future ahead of him!"

"Ah, I was even thinking of having my girl be Mengzhang's concubine, but that's not possible now..."

"..."

The entire group gathered around Yu Mengzhang, the atmosphere lively and warm.

With double happiness arriving, they decided to hold another village feast!

Seeing that their attention wasn't fixed on the gold coins, Yu Mengzhang said, "Should we divide these gold coins among all the uncles and aunties in the village?"

Everyone's gaze returned to Yu Mengzhang, their faces showing gratitude, but not a single one revealed any trace of greed.

The Village Chief shook his head. "Mengzhang, we all know you're a good kid, but we can't accept this money. Back when your parents protected the village, we all owed them a life-saving debt! Taking care of you is our duty, and besides, we've long considered you Family."

"If we were truly at our wit's end, we wouldn't stand on ceremony with you, since we're all Family. But now, with the gods showing mercy and our crops saved, what kind of people would we be if we still took your money?"

"Keep it all. You'll need it later—to build a big house and marry a beautiful wife!"

The Village Chief said with a hearty laugh.

The other villagers all chimed in agreement; no one had designs on the gold coins.

"..."

Yu Mengzhang could only abandon this idea.

The gold coins he had deliberately shown off now had no use for him... Evening.

The village was bustling with noise and excitement, with several banquet tables set up again at the Village Chief's house.

Everyone came to eat, making it an extremely lively affair.

However, this time, Yu Mengzhang was not the center of conversation, but rather... the rain-bringing deity!

"I saw it! That deity didn't seem human-shaped; it looked more like a... dragon! Good heavens! It was enormous! Must have been a thousand *zhang* long!"

"It was cyan! I saw it too, right there in the clouds, so beautiful! That deity must be a benevolent god who loves the people like his own children!"

"If it could come a few more times, our crops would be completely saved!"

"..."

The Village Chief gave a light cough, interrupting the villager who mentioned the crops.

In a year of severe drought, one rainfall wasn't enough to solve the problem!

Yu Mengzhang wore a faint smile as he mingled with the villagers, carefully restraining his divine aura.

If one rainfall wasn't enough to save them, then he would continue!

Dragon Qi wasn't so easily depleted.

"Green Lizard" was on his knee, its front limbs propped on the table, gnawing on a pig's trotter with great relish.

It didn't resemble a Spirit at all, but rather a real living creature.

And a gluttonous one at that!

Yu Mengzhang gently stroked Green Lizard's back—cool and smooth to the touch.

"It's a shame the deity didn't leave a name. Otherwise, we could build a Temple together! This year's great drought—aside from the deity, who among the Empire, the Family, or the Spirit Hall... has cared about us?"

A voice tinged with sobs spoke up.

"I see it clearly now. In the eyes of those lords, we're nothing but farts! Our deaths wouldn't matter!"

"I don't believe in the God of Angels anymore either! From now on, I only believe in the Divine Dragon!"

"Me too!!!"

"..."

The village youths, drunk on wine, couldn't help but vent their grievances one after another.

The Village Chief shook his head slightly but did not stop them.

He too had a knot of resentment in his heart!

"Though we are poor, our Spirit must not be weak. The Divine Dragon saved us, and we must know how to repay kindness. Let's contact a few villages, and in a while, we'll build a Temple for the Divine Dragon!"

With the Village Chief's declaration, the others naturally agreed.

Listening to their words, Yu Mengzhang felt a warm sensation throughout his body.

It was Karma protecting him, making him immune to all ailments and impervious to heat and cold.

Moreover, Karma was continuously increasing, converging upon him from all directions, from the people who remembered him with gratitude.

At that moment, a voice suddenly rang out.

"May I come in?"

Everyone turned to look at the courtyard gate.

A well-dressed young man stood there, accompanied by a tall guard.

The villagers immediately fell silent, their expressions becoming reserved and cautious, not daring to speak.

The Village Chief coughed twice, hurriedly stepped forward, and asked, "Honored guest, what brings you to our humble village?"

"You are too polite, elder. I am Xue Qinghe... I saw Young Brother Mengzhang at the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and was quite impressed, wishing to make his acquaintance."

Xue Qinghe smiled slightly as he explained.

"Ah! You came for Mengzhang? And you are... Your Highness the Imperial Prince..." The Village Chief's body began to sway; he held his head, looking as if he might collapse at any moment.

He, a mere lowly villager, could actually meet an Imperial Prince?

Xue Qinghe supported him. "There's no need to be nervous. I merely wish to befriend Mengzhang."

"Heh heh... I'll take you, I'll take you." The Village Chief hurriedly steadied himself, standing as straight as a spear.

The villagers grew even more tense, not daring to look at Xue Qinghe.

The gap between Nobility and Commoners was an unbridgeable chasm!

Xue Qinghe followed the Village Chief to Yu Mengzhang's side.

"Mengzhang..." the Village Chief introduced with a trembling voice.

Xue Qinghe looked at Yu Mengzhang curiously. Up close, she could better perceive this youth's extraordinariness.

Especially when those emotionless golden eyes fell upon her.

It was as if all her disguises had completely vanished.

As if her greatest secret was about to be exposed before him.

Thus, almost unprecedentedly, she actively avoided Yu Mengzhang's gaze.

"I have no desire to make friends."

Yu Mengzhang said flatly.

"Uh..." The Village Chief's face instantly turned deathly pale.

Speaking to an Imperial Prince like that... wouldn't he be punished for it?

Xue Qinghe opened her mouth, a sudden feeling of grievance welling up inside. "Why? I... I genuinely wish to befriend you, I have no ulterior motives..."

The Guard Soul Master said, "Your Highness has always been kind to others and has never oppressed the common people. Moreover, Your Highness voluntarily took on the responsibility of providing disaster relief, a task others would avoid at all costs."

Upon hearing this, all the villagers showed expressions of surprise.

The Village Chief even felt a sense of seeing Xue Qinghe in a new light.

Xue Qinghe pressed her lips together, the corners of her mouth tight, yet she couldn't suppress a flicker of happiness.

Yu Mengzhang said, "Have you accomplished it?"

"I..."