Nine Yang Alchemy Emperor

Medicine Mountain number 106 was divided into eight distinct regions, with clear boundaries easily perceived at a glance.

Atop the peak of the sixth region, a very imposing house had been built. Though also made from stone, each block was exquisitely carved from blue stone bricks.

The length, width, and size of the blocks were all uniform.

This house, not only aesthetically pleasing and sturdy, also provided warmth in winter and was cool in summer, making it very comfortable.

The Medicine Farmers resided only in temporary thatched huts. The huts leaked air from all sides, and rain from above, causing their inhabitants to endure rain, snow, insects, and ants. Compared to the luxurious courtyard residence of the Manager, it was like comparing a celestial dwelling to a mud hut.

Manager Tang Ying, who had been defied by Chu Feng, lived in this elegant courtyard house standing tall on the peak. He enjoyed an ultimate view, overlooking the entire sixth region, and could constantly monitor the growth of the Medicinal Herb crops of his Medicine Farmers below.

Manager Tang Ying stood with his hands clasped behind his back, looking down loftily from above.

The small leader Ding Ku was bending his waist, drooping his shoulders, with a flattering smile plastered on his face. He was the spitting image of a servile dog slave.

"Lord of Housekeeper, I have followed your orders and sent that little bastard Chu Feng to the harshest mountain area to cultivate Medicinal Herbs. Hehe, that area has already sorted out eleven troublemakers for you. Every single one of them met with failure, in the end, either they left or bowed their heads in submission to you."

"This time, we added a bit more trouble for that Chu surname lad. We deliberately made him plant Heavenly Frost Grass and Bitter Cold Flower, which are ill-suited for the current sunlight. Even if he really had Three Heads and Six Arms, he wouldn't be able to cultivate them successfully after reclaiming that mountain land."

Ding Ku laughed sinisterly.

Manager Tang Ying too revealed a smile of satisfaction, his eyes glinting sharply.

"Humph, that little bastard Chu Feng, he even dared to insult me, the Steward. If I don't teach him a lesson that will leave him as dead as a dog, then I'd be his grandson."

"Ding Ku, keep a good watch over Chu Feng. If you take care of him, you'll have achieved a great merit, and the position of Big Chief will surely be yours."

Manager Tang Ying, in order to spur Ding Ku to exert his utmost effort, did not hesitate to promise him a hefty reward.

It is known that Manager Tang Ying had only three positions for Big Chiefs under him. And there were many small leaders and Medicine Farmers eyeing those prized seats.

For a Medicine Farmer to become a small leader was a hurdle, yet there was still some hope.

But for a small leader to become a Big Chief, the competition was beyond imagination. Many small leaders spent their whole lives trying, only to remain stuck in place.

And they must not make any mistakes during their term, or they could very likely be demoted.

"Rest assured, Lord of Housekeeper, I guarantee to handle this matter perfectly and to your satisfaction." Having been promised a great reward by Manager Tang Ying, Ding Ku eagerly went to oversee Chu Feng.

When he arrived at Chu Feng's assigned mountain land, he found that Chu Feng had only reclaimed a small piece of land and sown those seeds.

The rest of the barren mountain, however, was left untouched.

Instead, he lay leisurely like an idler on an old tree, legs crossed. To add insult to injury, this damn fellow was even raising and playing with a few ants.

"Chu Feng! You were told to reclaim two mu of waste mountain to plant Medicinal Herbs, but lo and behold, you're here lying down taking it easy. Do you really think you came here to play?" Ding Ku's face darkened with an expression as fierce as if he was about to kill someone.

His tone of voice was frighteningly high.

"So it's leader Ding Ku! What's gotten into you, that you're so full of rage?"

"My lying here leisurely is my business. You just need to come here in three months to collect the Heavenly Frost Grass and Bitter Cold Flowers."

Chu Feng wore the expression of a wealthy and indulgent second-generation ancestor, infuriatingly nonchalant.

"You, you... still dare to disobey and speak to this leader with such an attitude? You're truly incorrigible!" Ding Ku was so angry his face turned green, and his whole body trembled.

This idle troublemaker takes this place for a playground, which is bad enough. Yet he has the audacity to put on an act as if he's more anxious than the eunuch when the Emperor is not in a hurry, utterly infuriating everyone around.

"Boss Ding is mistaken! A poor man always dreams of wearing fine clothes, while a lazy one dreams of eating and drinking well every day. Everyone has their own method of doing things."

"You think I'm just playing around, but that's because you lack the wisdom to see what I'm doing. We're both clearing wasteland, but you, as a small leader, only know how to wield a hoe and a sickle, tirelessly chopping wood and turning over soil. As for me, I have my own methods."

Chu Feng acted like a conceited young master, who never has to lift a finger for his clothes and meals.

He flicked at his nails and lectured Boss Ding with an air of arrogance.

"Does Boss Ding need you to teach him?" Boss Ding almost choked with rage.

"I wouldn't dare to lecture Boss Ding. When the ancient carpenter and godfather of woodworking, Lu Ban, and his disciples passed by a field, they saw an old farmer sweating buckets as he dug the soil with a hoe. Lu Ban then told his disciples that those who only know how to dig with a hoe are fools! The wise ones are those who utilize tools and draft animals!"

"The disciples didn't believe it, so Lu Ban later developed the plow, using oxen to till the land. The efficiency was several times higher than that of human labor; it saved time and effort, and all disciples bowed in admiration."

Chu Feng, with a smile on his face, cited classics and bashed Boss Ding until he was battered and bruised with criticism.

"You dare to mock Boss Ding as a fool? Hmph, if in three days' time this land is not yet reclaimed, you will see what's coming for you!"

Boss Ding didn't dare to argue with Chu Feng any further, for fear of even more unsavory words being thrown his way.

He left with a swing of his sleeve and a face dark as iron, storming off in a rage.

After Boss Ding left, the matter of reporting to Manager Tang Ying goes without saying.

Both were just waiting to see Chu Feng's downfall in three days.

...

A day later, the ten Crimson Fire Ants raised by Chu Feng all evolved into Ant Queens.

Not only did they grow several times larger, they also sprouted wings. And among the golden markings on their backs, there was a particularly thick vertical line forming the character for "King".

"Excellent! This is the very moment I've been waiting for you to become Ant Queens!"

Chu Feng bit his tongue and sprayed essence blood onto the ten Ant Queens in the vessel. They greedily absorbed it.

After they absorbed Chu Feng's essence blood, a miraculous scene unfolded.

The ten Crimson Fire Ants all lifted their bodies towards Chu Feng and then bowed down, much like subjects paying their respects to a monarch.

"Go! Each of you command a group of your followers, and within two days, I want you to chew up every thorn and weed on this barren mountain, roots and all." Chu Feng gave the order, and the ten carefully nurtured Ant Queens, like ten Great Generals,

leapt out of the vessel one after another and stormed into the Crimson Fire Ants' nest.

In just the blink of an eye, the ancient tree sounded like a boiling pot with rustling noises.

Two tigers cannot share one mountain.

It's the same with ant colonies.

The ten Ant Queens attacked, much like rebels raiding a camp. The ordinary Crimson Fire Ants didn't dare to move.

They could only watch helplessly as the Ant Queens killed the original Ant Queen.