NOVEL WEB Chapter 104: The New Aspect of the Territory
On the wide, flat official road, Ling Yi sat by the carriage window, letting the golden light from outside gently caress his face, as if touching cold jade.
Last night's heavy snow, the breath turned to ice, seemed warmed by the sunlight, and even the distant whiteness was coated in a layer of brilliant gold.
Drawing his gaze back, Ling Yi stared into the void before him, calculating his plans and arrangements.
Time slipped by amidst the jingling sounds caused by the occasional bumps in the road.
Although the carriage was laden with goods, under the strong hooves of the fine steeds, the journey of over a hundred li quickly receded behind.
Ling Yi had once again returned to the land that raised him.
It had been two years since Ling Yi became the baron of the duchy, and the area around Beikou River Town had been conferred as 'Blue Silver Domain.'
Over these two years, Baron Ling Yi, the lord of the domain, spent most of his time traveling abroad, rarely returning.
Compared to two years ago, Beikou River Town had transformed drastically.
The only unchanged elements were perhaps those familiar faces, and the blue silver grass seen everywhere.
The carriage did not stop at Beikouhe Town. Instead, it traveled directly along the newly constructed official road of the past two years, arriving at the greatly transformed Shanhai Village.
Compared to the previous casual distribution of houses and courtyards typical of any ordinary village, today’s Shanhai Village, under the planning of Ling Yi, has been completely reconstructed into a manor-style estate for Baron Ling Yi.
As for the original villagers, similar to those in Beikouhe Town and its twenty-five subordinate villages, they underwent a collective reorganization and redistribution. Houses were rebuilt, fields were doubled and exchanged, and any losses in money or grain yields were compensated tenfold...
This series of exceptionally generous demolition packages was joyfully accepted by all, who then commenced a vigorous collective relocation campaign according to the planned order.
In the original setting of Holy Soul Village, there were more than three hundred households. Although it was called a small village, considering the actual circumstances where Notting City was located at the border between the "Heaven Dou Empire" and the "Star Luo Empire", commercial trade flourished, and the standard of living for the people was quite decent. This was somewhat understandable.
However, here in the "Shuimu Principality", villages with populations of one or two hundred households were commonplace, while those with over three hundred were considered large villages.
In the span of two years, the "Lanyin Domain" comprised one town and twenty-five villages with over six thousand households and a population exceeding thirty-seven thousand. Despite the original thousand households in Beikouhe Town remaining mostly unchanged, welcoming only two or three hundred new neighbors, the villages, previously scattered at varying distances and locations, were all newly established on selected sites. The fields, too, were cultivated collectively in the "Lanyin Domain" under the initiative to connect and redistribute these lands.
Thoughtful planning ensured that the newly aligned land plots surrounding the villages were mostly designated as fields for households, while further areas near water sources were converted into ponds and regions close to hills were planted with trees. The previous wild forests were transformed into sections of planned, uniformly species-specific economic forests...
Even the homes and courtyards in Beikouhe Town and the surrounding villages, guided by Ling Yi’s blueprint sketches, have become a unified style of blue bricks, white walls, and black tiles, complemented by ubiquitous "Blue Silver Grass" and other flora, evoking a serene and simple ambiance.
In this world of extraordinary powers, whether in building houses, cultivating the wilderness, or planting economic forests, everything became simpler with the participation of soul masters.
Even with the power of soul masters absent, the dissemination of "Three Techniques of the Farmer" by the Ling and Zhang families in Shanhai Village led to rapid and remarkable changes.
Everyone knew that Lord Ling Yi, combining various farmer labor methods, had invented a fitness regimen called the "Three Techniques of the Farmer" that strengthened the body.
Aside from an increased appetite and a gradual growth measured in years, with possibly not a very high ceiling, this simple and easy-to-learn secret that blends into the farmers' lifestyle has won the hearts of every household in the Lansilver Territory.
Consequently, any policy directive from Lord Ling Yi within the Lansilver Territory was met with enthusiastic compliance, akin to an idealized version of Taoyuan Village in Douluo.
From the moment he entered the Lansilver Territory and started from Beikouhezhen, riding in Ling Yi's carriage, Zhang Lei clearly and logically introduced to Ling Yi the new changes in the territory during his absence in recent months, whether previous planning goals were achieved, what difficulties had been encountered, which had been resolved, and what remained for Ling Yi to handle upon his return.
In the place of the former Shanhai Village, a new estate-style residence called Shanhai Courtyard was built.
The new Shanhai Village was relocated over ten miles to the west, closer to Beikouhezhen, and renamed Shanghe Village.
With everything loaded onto the carriages meticulously sorted and stored in the specially constructed large warehouses, Ling Yi was the center of attention during a grand banquet involving everyone.
After eating and drinking to satisfaction, Ling Yi conversed with each person, absorbing a massive flow of information, allowing him a clearer grasp of everything around him.
Year 2606 of the Douluo Calendar, December.
The Ling family, along with the Zhang family, Ye family, and other relatives by marriage, totals over three hundred people.
Among them, one is a Grand Soul Master, known as the "Blue Silver Territory" lord, a baron of the **Shuimu Principality**, specializing in healing with twin rings, a blacksmith by trade, and referred to as the "Great Doctor", Ling Yi.
There is one Soul Master, Cousin Zhang Lei, whose martial spirit is the "Hoe", a nineteen-year-old with a soul power level of fourteen.
The family also has two Soul Essence disciples, younger brother Ling Shan and younger sister Ling Si, both having the martial spirit "Blue Silver Grass"; the former is nearly thirteen years old, an eighth-level Soul Essence, while the latter is a bit over eight and a third-level Soul Essence.
Grandfather Ling Changqing and Grandmother Yan Hong are fifty-four this year. According to the standards of average folk in the Douluo Continent, they are considered entering old age, yet with today's improved living conditions and the practice of the "Three Techniques of the Farmer" and "Basic Body Cultivation Exercises", they appear just like Uncle Ling Xiangbei, even looking a few years younger.
Father Ling Xiaoshan and Mother Zhang Xiaoyu are both just over thirty, displaying the vitality of youth that they had back in their twenties, just like a young couple.
Uncle Zhang Dahe and Aunt Ling He share a similar state.
Thirteen-year-old Zhang Xin, born without innate soul power, has developed a robust physique from years of practicing the "Three Techniques of the Farmer" and "Basic Body Cultivation Exercises", now possessing nearly two hundred pounds of strength, and is learning the craft of forging alongside Cousin Ling Bo, with intentions to delve deeply into the blacksmith profession.
As for Zhang Miao, who will only turn six next month, he has been in a constant state of anxious anticipation, fearing that during his martial spirit awakening ceremony on his birthday, he might have innate soul power of zero like his second brother Zhang Xin.
He hopes that even if it's only like his eldest brother Zhang Lei, with 0.1 level of innate soul power, he could still cultivate.
In terms of martial souls, the Ling family along with their affiliated clans have shifted from their past reluctance towards the "Blue Silver Grass" martial soul.
On the contrary, they now hope for themselves and their children to awaken the "Blue Silver Grass" martial soul, as it significantly increases the chances of innate soul power.
Though not much is said openly, everyone knows that all six children from the Ling and Zhang families, from Ling Yi to Ling Shan and Ling Si, have the "Blue Silver Grass" martial soul and possess innate soul power. Ling Shan has 0.2 level, while Ling Yi and Ling Si both have 0.5 level.
As for the Zhang family's three youngsters, aside from Zhang Miao who has not yet awakened, Zhang Lei's innate soul power was thought to be nonexistent at 0.1 level back then, and Zhang Xin directly had zero soul power.
Considering the current vast "Blue Silver Grass" environment in the 'Blue Silver Territory' and even in the [Grand Duchy of Shuimu], everyone clearly understands the considerable advantage of the "Blue Silver Grass" martial soul.
"Miaomiao, for the next month, come here every day with your brother Lei. Train with us. I'll guide your 'Basic Body Conditioning Exercises.' The better your physical condition is before awakening, the greater the possibility of awakening innate soul power during the martial soul awakening..."
Ling Yi said at the end of the banquet, much to the delight of Zhang Miao and the Zhang Dahe couple.
That night, some tossed and turned, unable to sleep, while others drifted into dreams, like the myriad beings, each with their own experiences.
(End of Chapter)
