Chapter 11 Alternate Believers

When Baili Hong saw his uncle go to the bucket, he hurriedly followed.

He was almost the same size as the wooden bucket, and he had to stand on tiptoe to barely see the smaller wooden basin inside.

The wooden basin was now crystal clear, filled with ice cubes!

The child's eyes widened immediately, his face, which bore a striking resemblance to Qin Xiao, filled with astonishment.

Chu Jiubian watched Qin Xiao's expression with great interest, taking in the well-hidden surprise on his face.

I thought this person had truly mastered keeping their emotions hidden, but it seems they're still quite inexperienced. Didn't they still manage to let a trace of emotion slip through their fingers?

Feeling the gaze from beside him, Qin Xiao finally turned his attention away from the basin of ice.

His dark pupils held unspeakable emotions as he stared directly into Chu Jiubian's eyes.

Chu Jiubian is 1.83 meters tall, which is considered tall for a man, but Qin Xiao is half a head taller than him, probably 1.9 meters.

In this situation, his height advantage and sharp aura instantly brought a great sense of pressure to Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian neither dodged nor avoided him. He slightly raised his eyes, gave him a meaningful smile, and asked, "Lord Ning, is this thing fun?"

Before Qin Xiao could react, a clear child's voice came from below: "Fun!"

Baili Hong gripped the edge of the bucket with his small hands, stood on tiptoe with difficulty, and looked up at the two "giants" beside him, excitedly saying, "Chu Jiubian, you have so much ice! It's so refreshing!"

Children are not as resistant to heat as adults, and with the summer heat in full swing, it's true that Baili Hong couldn't sleep at night because of the heat, but he didn't cry because of it.

Seeing such a large piece of ice now, he couldn't help but want to reach out and touch it, but his arms were too short to reach it.

The little boy chattered excitedly about how happy he was with the "toy," but being clever, he soon noticed the strange atmosphere between the two adults and gradually fell silent.

Qin Xiao gently turned the thumb ring on his thumb, a smile appearing in his eyes, instantly dispelling the tense atmosphere between the two.

"It's fun." Qin Xiao's deep voice carried a hint of laughter. "It's really, really fun."

Chu Jiubian was fairly satisfied with his answer and said, "This thing should be able to relieve your worries, sir. What about the promise you made to me, sir?"

Qin Xiao readily agreed: "This palace is the Ninth Prince's home, so please do whatever makes you comfortable."

"Ninth Young Master?" Chu Jiubian's eyes twitched slightly. What a ridiculous title.

Qin Xiao laughed: "Now the Ninth Prince's reputation has spread throughout the capital. There are even fewer people who criticize me. I have to thank you."

Although the Qin family was renowned and had an excellent reputation among the people, ever since he killed spies from all sides for three days and three nights in front of the Shenwu Gate, the people had mostly cursed him and rarely praised him.

Especially those powerful and influential families, they all cursed him behind his back, saying he was ruthless and had wolfish ambitions.

But now everyone is trying to get close to Chu Jiubian, this "immortal," and they don't even care about cursing Qin Xiao anymore.

Chu Jiubian guessed what was going on and said, "If Lord Ning really wants to thank me, why not do me another favor?"

It would be even better if he could go outside the palace for a stroll. I wonder if this ancient world is the same as the scenes he used to act in.

"It's dangerous outside the palace," Qin Xiao said shamelessly. "How about I personally take you out for a stroll sometime when I have some free time?"

This means we still have to keep an eye on him, but being able to move around freely in the palace is already a big improvement.

Chu Jiubian was only testing him casually, and when he realized that he couldn't reason with him, he stopped arguing.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Qin Xiao thought for a moment and said, "Then in three days. I'll take you out in three days."

This time, Chu Jiubian was truly taken aback and couldn't help but look at the other party suspiciously. Was he really that easy to talk to?

I'm afraid they'll try to renege on their promises again.

Qin Xiao changed the subject, and with a rare serious expression, he cupped his hands to Chu Jiubian and said, "Please help me make ice, young master."

He ordered the ice-making method to be handed over without saying a word, but Chu Jiubian didn't intend to hide it and said directly, "I said I would give you the method, and I won't go back on my word."

He wouldn't be like Qin Xiao before, who would renege on a bet after losing.

Qin Xiao cupped his hands without hesitation and said, "Then on behalf of the people and His Majesty, I thank you, young master."

Nowadays, although powerful and wealthy families also have cellars for storing ice, none of them are in the capital, and the closest ones are in the suburbs.

The roads are difficult to travel, and with such hot weather, most of the ice transported to Beijing has melted by the time it arrives.

Now that Qin Xiao has this method of making ice, it would be much easier to make and sell it directly in the capital. Those powerful and wealthy people are not short of money and never hesitate to make themselves comfortable. This ice-selling business is sure to be extremely profitable.

The problem of an empty national treasury will naturally be solved.

Chu Jiubian never expected that Qin Xiao would actually thank him sincerely, especially not that he would say something like "on behalf of the people and on behalf of His Majesty".

How could a treacherous villain with wolfish ambitions be so upright?

They're probably going to embezzle a large portion of the profits from ice production.

However, none of this mattered to Chu Jiubian; his only goal was to gain his freedom.

He had originally intended to tell Qin Xiao about the uses of saltpeter in making tinderboxes and fireworks, but there was no rush. If Qin Xiao really kept his word and took him out of the palace in three days, then he could tell him then, and it would just be another transaction.

"Take out that basin of ice first, and I'll teach you how to make it," Chu Jiubian said to Qin Xiao.

Knowing that Qin Xiao had something to discuss with Chu Jiubian, Eunuch Hong led Xiao Xiangzi and the others to wait outside the main house. So now, only the two adults and the three-year-old little emperor were inside.

Chu Jiubian didn't want to work, and the young emperor couldn't work either, so Qin Xiao had to do it.

He didn't hesitate. After listening to Chu Jiubian's words, he immediately took out the basin full of ice and put it on the ground.

Baili Hong couldn't reach it before, but now he can touch it and see it more clearly.

"Chu Jiubian, can I touch this ice?" The little boy squatted by the ice basin, looking up at him pitifully.

“This is for His Majesty,” Chu Jiubian said.

Baili Hong immediately grinned, revealing his pearly white teeth: "Thank you, Chu Jiubian!"

"Your Majesty is too kind." Chu Jiubian wanted to reach out and pat the little boy's head. Such a cute child, but he grew up to be decisive and efficient. He wondered how Qin Xiao had raised him.

Baili Hong stretched out his little hand and carefully touched the ice. He shivered from the cold and quickly withdrew his hand to his chubby cheek.

The little face, which had been flushed from the heat, felt extremely comfortable as it cooled down.

Having tasted the benefits, Baili Hong's eyes lit up, and he repeated the action again and again to cool down his face.

Not far away, Chu Jiubian was already directing Qin Xiao to pour the remaining saltpeter into another wooden bucket filled with water, and then have him stir it with a wooden stick.

Once it's almost stirred, have him fill a smaller basin with water, then carefully place the basin inside the wooden bucket, ensuring it's completely submerged in the water.

"Is it ready?" Qin Xiao asked.

Chu Jiubian nodded: "That's fine."

Qin Xiao was somewhat surprised.

How could no one have noticed something so simple before?

He had just touched water with saltpeter in it, and the water was a bit cold. If the people from the Imperial Hospital had accidentally dropped saltpeter into the water, they would probably have discovered something.

Is it that such an accident has never happened before, or that these people haven't used their brains?

Chu Jiubian saw through his thoughts almost immediately and said, "This method is simple, but the premise is that the saltpeter needs to be purified."

"Purification?" Qin Xiao had just noticed that the saltpeter Chu Jiubian had here was different from what he had seen before, but he only thought it was ground up.

"Xiao Xiangzi and the others all know how to do it, just go ask them."

"Okay." Qin Xiao lowered his eyes to look at the basin of water in front of him; the water inside hadn't changed much.

"How long will it take?" he asked.

"It can take a few quarters of an hour if it's fast, or half an hour if it's slow."

Qin Xiao nodded; this was much faster than he had expected.

“This saltpeter is truly amazing,” he said.

"Its uses go beyond that," Chu Jiubian deliberately reminded him.

Qin Xiao turned his head to look at him and saw the young man give him a faint smile.

Qin Xiao then smiled.

It seems we'll have to wait and see how much more this saltpeter can be used in the future.

Seeing that they had finished their business, Baili Hong finally had a chance to interject, so he quickly got up and walked up to Chu Jiubian, tilting his head back to ask, "Chu Jiubian, have you ever met my mother?"

Chu Jiubian was taken aback, then squatted down to look at him: "Your mother?"

“Yes.” Baili Hong’s eyes were full of anticipation. “My mother also went to heaven and became a goddess. Have you seen her?”

He had never seen anyone make ice before, so Chu Jiubian must be a god!

Qin Xiao looked down at his nephew's round little head, wanting to say something, but then stopped himself.

He looked at Chu Jiubian, somewhat curious about what this "immortal" would say.

Chu Jiubian couldn't help but recall the description of the late empress in the original work; she was an intelligent, brave, gentle, and beautiful woman.

“I’ve never seen her,” he said.

The young emperor was visibly disappointed.

“But I’ve heard of her,” Chu Jiubian added.

Baili Hong was stunned.

"She is very strong, and she would definitely want you to be as brave and strong as she is."

These weren't Chu Jiu's words, but rather the thoughts of the empress on her deathbed in the original story. She hoped her child would grow up to be a wise and upright ruler who could create a prosperous era for the Great Ning Dynasty.

Bai Lihong's eyes immediately reddened, but he forced himself to hold back and not cry.

"I remember, Mother said that people should be brave."

[Congratulations, host! Your faith points have exceeded one hundred. The Divine Realm function is now unlocked. You can enter at any time and invite a believer.]

Chu Jiubian's heart skipped a beat.

Just now, when Qin Xiao and the others arrived, their score was 98, and it hadn't increased for a while. Now, it has suddenly broken through 100.

By the way, both the Divine Realm and the Space function are calculated based on accumulated points. Chu Jiubian had previously consumed 1.5 points, which means he just gained another 0.5 points, bringing his total accumulated points to one hundred.

He looked at the little emperor in front of him, who had already held back his tears, and knew where the 0.5 points came from.

What a good boy, he thought.

Time passed slowly, and the three people in the room said nothing more. Meanwhile, the water in the basin gradually cooled and slowly froze into ice.

Qin Xiao stood by the side the whole time, watching the water turn into ice with his own eyes. It would be a lie to say he wasn't shocked.

After the ice slowly solidified, he reached out and gently touched it.

Feeling that icy touch, my fingertips trembled slightly.

He looked at Chu Jiubian, his eyes deep and unfathomable, as if he were lost in thought.

Chu Jiubian, however, was already eager to enter the Divine Realm. Now that their eyes met, he immediately said, "If there's nothing else, shouldn't you go and attend to your own business, sir?"

This is to get rid of him.

Qin Xiao chuckled lightly, and without further disturbing him, he led the young emperor away from Yaotai Residence.

The two basins of ice inside the house were naturally left behind, but Xiao Jinzi and Xiao Yinzi, who knew about the saltpeter purification process, were taken away.

After they left, Xiao Xiangzi and Shui Qing Shui Yun went into the main house to serve them.

Regardless of how shocked they were when they saw the two basins of ice, Chu Jiubian had already retreated to his bedroom. After instructing everyone not to disturb him, he couldn't wait to lie down on the bed and open the system interface.

The previously dimmed "Divine Realm" section is now lit up, and Chu Jiubian clicks on it without hesitation.

In an instant, he felt dizzy and lightheaded, and a sense of weightlessness swept through his entire body. It took him two or three seconds to regain control of his body, and his feet seemed to be on solid ground.

He steadied himself and slowly opened his eyes.

A misty cloud swirled around him, flowing slowly, making it hard for him to tell whether he was in reality or a dream.

[Hello, host. The Divine Realm has been opened. Within the Divine Realm, you and your followers exist in the form of "thought," while your physical bodies remain in your original three-dimensional space, presenting the illusion of slumber.]

As the sole true god within the Divine Realm, you have the right to make any alterations to any item within the Divine Realm. To ensure your privacy, you may also choose to change your appearance or attire.

The system is very efficient and never wastes time, explaining the functions of the Divine Realm in just a few words.

The one true God.

Chu Jiubian pondered these words, and then with a thought, the white mist around him instantly dissipated, replaced by a pure white space with no visible boundaries.

The space was completely empty, except for the solid ground beneath their feet.

Besides that, all you can see in front, behind, left, right, and above is the space that extends outwards, but you can't see the end; it's blindingly white.

This is what the Divine Realm originally looked like.

Chu Jiubian's lips curved into a slight smile as he turned to look behind him.

The pure white, empty space suddenly trembled, and suddenly several huge jade pillars with coiled dragons rose from the ground.

On the emerald green jade stone is a lifelike golden dragon that stretches upwards until white mist appears, obscuring the endless space overhead.

Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, specks of golden light emerged and drifted slowly, vaguely revealing the shadows of something enormous hidden within, resembling pavilions and palaces with upturned eaves. In the hazy distance, it seemed as if low dragon roars and phoenix cries could be heard.

Chu Jiubian took a step, and a series of white jade steps appeared beneath his feet, stretching endlessly to the left and right until they disappeared into the clouds.

After taking twenty-seven steps, Chu Jiubian stood still, and a brand new piece of ground extended beneath his feet.

A heavy, wide white jade chair slowly materialized here, with a high back and wide armrests, like a naturally formed divine throne.

Chu Jiubian took two steps forward, turned around, and sat down in the chair.

At the same time, his clothes changed back to the ones he wore when he transmigrated, which were extremely gorgeous.

He sat casually in the chair, crossed his legs, and the jeweled chains on his boots made a soft tinkling sound. The chair adjusted to fit his posture perfectly.

From this angle, a white jade table appears below the twenty-seven steps, with its edges rising like a scroll, resembling a low table commonly seen in Da Ning, and a futon behind it.

After thinking it over, Chu Jiubian felt that the believers were not comfortable kneeling like that, so he turned the low table into a high table and the futon into a chair.

Those are seats for believers; there is only one available at the moment.

A wisp of mist poured down from the sky, like a veil, vaguely obscuring the long table. The hazy red plum blossoms swayed within it, and the mist curtain was slowly lifted by the long wind, as if there was a faint fragrance of plum blossoms.

If someone were sitting at the long table, they could vaguely see the outline of the jade steps behind the misty curtain, slowly extending upwards, like a ladder to heaven.

However, from Chu Jiubian's position, he had a commanding view and could clearly see the situation below.

Logically, the believer shouldn't be able to see Chu Jiubian behind the fog curtain, but just in case, he still stretched out his hand, and a bronze mask that partially covered his face appeared in his palm.

He put on the mask before calling the system again: "How do I connect to the believers?"

[The system card pool has been updated. Please draw cards to select your cards.]

Didn't you say you could bring in whoever you wanted?

Chu Jiubian frowned; gacha pulls are unreliable.

Perhaps because it was within the system space, the system directly placed the cards in the void in front of Chu Jiubian, a total of six cards.

[Please extract keywords, host.]

Chu Jiubian understood: the card draw first selects a keyword, and then selects people related to that keyword to become believers.

However, none of the cards specified which words were on them, so he could only randomly select one, and the other five were immediately taken back by the system.

Two traditional Chinese characters gradually appeared on the remaining card: 武武 (Wuhan).

Chu Jiubian raised his eyebrows.

He's lucky. What he lacks right now is the ability to protect himself. If he had his own armed force, he would be more confident when dealing with Qin Xiao.

[Keywords confirmed; selecting suitable believers for the host.]

[Selection complete. Four character cards have been selected. Please make your choice.]

The system's requirements for selecting believers are very complex, so Chu Jiubian didn't expect to have too many people to choose from. Having four now is already quite good.

The keyword card was taken back, and four new cards appeared before us.

Unlike the previous blind selection, the four cards in front of them had the names, identities, and armed forces represented by the "candidate believers".

Chu Jiubian glanced over at it.

[Pingxi Prince Baili Zheng, 35 years old, is the fifth uncle of Emperor Baili Hong, and his fiefdom is Sichuan. His armed force comprises 50,000 Sichuan troops.]

[Prince Anhuai, Baili Ming, 18 years old, is the cousin of Emperor Baili Hong (son of the Fourth Imperial Uncle), and his fief is Henan. His armed force consists of 30,000 Henan soldiers.]

Jiang Shuoye, commander of the Northern Desert Army, is 25 years old and the grandson of the former Marquis of Zhenbei, whose family has since fallen into decline. His armed force comprises 80,000 Northern Desert soldiers. (Recommended!)

Chu Jiubian found the word "recommended" in parentheses somewhat amusing.

Is this considered a system's selfishness?

However, compared to the previous two imperial relatives, this commander of the Northern Desert Army with 80,000 troops is indeed more suitable, and his strength seems to be much stronger than the previous two.

However, the northern desert is too far from the capital. If something really happens to Chu Jiubian, it's uncertain whether the other party can even make it here.

To be determined.

He looked at the last card, and then his expression went blank for a moment.

The card read: [Prince Ning, Qin Xiao, 25 years old. Armed forces: 50,000 elite Qin family troops, 10,000 *****. (Not recommended!)]