The summer cicadas buzzed incessantly, the scorching sunlight piercing so fiercely that it was impossible to keep one’s eyes open.  

In the Li family’s small courtyard, Little Black had just landed and immediately flapped its wings, stomping its feet, causing Li Pingcan to think, “So hot, so hot.”  

“Dance of the Wind.”  

A gentle breeze lifted Little Black and carried it beneath the eaves. The remaining wind brushed past, but there was not a trace of coolness—only heat that stirred restlessness in the heart.  

This year was unbearably hot.  

A summer without air conditioning was sheer torture.  

In ancient times, there was ice storage, but each cubic foot cost a tael of silver, an unbearable burden for farmers who preferred to endure the hardship bitterly.  

“I wonder when the government will cast the spell to bring down sweet dew?”  

Though it was said that the imperial decree would transform spiritual energy into rain, it still required setting up a ritual altar, sacrificing six kinds of livestock, praying to heaven, earth, and mountains, and choosing an auspicious day and time before the rain could nourish all living things.  

But the government moved neither fast nor slow. Farmers were anxious to the point of spitting bubbles but dared not raise a fuss, only grumbling behind closed doors.  

Li Pingcan frowned deeply.  

To prevent the peach trees from withering, his father had been fetching water early and late these days, his skin peeling from the sun.  

He was still fortunate; many villagers had contracted summer heat illnesses and barely survived.  

Finally, as evening approached, the scorching sun hid behind clouds, and the weather cooled slightly.  

The whole family gathered under the shade of a tree to cool off.  

Li Pingcan held a bowl of mung bean soup his mother had brewed, specially chilled with well water. Sweet and icy, he gulped it down, finally feeling revived.  

Looking over, his father and elder brothers had also closed their eyes comfortably, enjoying this rare coolness.  

He secretly intensified the Dance of the Wind, letting the refreshing breeze brush his face, his black hair fluttering.  

“This breeze feels really good.”  

Li Fang, walking toward them, sighed.  

Ever since Li Rongzhou had saved him from death, Li Fang had developed an indescribable admiration and gratitude for him. Thinking back on his previous prejudices, he felt deeply guilty and had been frequently visiting the Li family lately, never empty-handed.  

This time, he brought a bamboo basket of fresh wild mint leaves, a rare item for cooling off.  

Lady Qin smiled as she accepted them and served Li Fang a bowl of mung bean soup. Li Fang held it with both hands, grinning bashfully, “Thank you, sister-in-law!”  

“Delicious!” After finishing the soup in one gulp, a refreshing coolness soared through his body. Li Fang praised endlessly before sighing, “I wonder when the celestial official will finally bring the sweet rain? Why is it so slow?”  

Though his voice was soft, the resentment in his words was as thick as a water spirit’s curse.  

In recent days, villagers often gathered in twos or threes, glaring at the blazing sun and secretly mocking the court’s grand setup for the rain that barely fell—a perfect example of unruly peasants.  

Li Rongzhou only smiled and did not engage, knowing well that disaster came from careless words, though he too harbored some complaints inside.  

Li Pingcan shook his head.  

Sigh, expecting the government to act quickly?  

Just managing to act at all is already good enough!  

…  

As the weather grew increasingly scorching, public resentment rapidly boiled, reaching its peak.  

“The celestial official’s carriage is coming!”  

Six white horses, snow-colored, stomped and neighed as they pulled the carriage. Eight powerful silver-armored soldiers wielded dome-shaped umbrellas shielding the carriage frame. A gray-clad clerk walked proudly beside the carriage, arms crossed holding a jade plate that shone brightly.  

He arrogantly swept his gaze over the Peach Blossom Village villagers and said loftily, “You commoners, kneel quickly and worship the celestial official!”  

Clatter!  

The dense crowd obediently dropped to their knees, as if waves had crashed down and bent their backs.  

Li Pingcan was held by Lady Qin as they kowtowed. The black raven flew across the sky, and the gray mushroom relayed a clear image—the carriage frame held no one.  

Hiss!  

Such tremendous celestial power!  

The villagers of Peach Blossom Village were not kneeling before the celestial official himself but the official’s carriage frame!  

In these three years, apart from tax collection, Li Pingcan had never seen any government officials.  

His eyes flickered with strange light as he quickly understood: the gray-clad clerk was exercising the celestial official’s authority, bestowing blessings of rain and dew!  

And the jade plate he held was likely a celestial “magic treasure”!  

The only celestial artifact Li Pingcan had ever seen since crossing over.  

‘A lucky opportunity? Or... a deadly tribulation?’  

He exhaled a foul breath, not so easily stirred by passion. His gaze swept over the eight silver-armored soldiers—each a master at the Blood Qi Realm!  

The Thorn Whip had just begun to tremble; it would likely be shredded immediately. The tornado created by Dance of the Wind would also be scattered by their combined blades.  

‘The foundation of a ninth-rank celestial official is terrifying indeed.’  

Having witnessed the court’s power, he had no illusions about challenging authority. Moreover, flaunting, boasting, or competing was not his way.  

The gray-clad clerk, seeing the commoners all bowing, revealed a drunk expression—power was truly mesmerizing.  

“Peach Blossom Village sincerely honors the court. I also wish to ease your difficulties, but this Sweet Dew Jade Plate urgently needs spiritual energy replenishment.”  

The old village chief, experienced and shrewd, quickly offered tribute—naturally, it was shared by the whole village.  

The clerk weighed the item but remained unmoved.  

The old chief gritted his teeth and took out a translucent jade pendant.  

Only then did the clerk smile, “Peach Blossom Village is much more obedient than Peach Leaf Village. I will definitely report to the celestial official to petition for reduced taxes and labor for you.”  

At these words, the villagers became excited and joyful, completely forgetting the unbearable heat. Those who had just cursed the court as “troublesome peasants” instantly transformed into “obedient subjects”!  

Li Pingcan watched coldly, his mood growing darker.  

This clerk was skilled in the “art of controlling the people”—a pressing threat, a compliment comparing villages, and dangling a reward…  

‘This is blatant psychological manipulation!’  

Treating people like dogs to be trained, squeezing every last bit of their sweat and blood money, and the villagers still had to thank this clerk, taking all the benefits for himself.  

‘If all celestial officials are like this, one can only imagine the character of the immortals above.’  

Though this might not be the immortals’ direct intention, it was certainly tacit approval of extortion.  

He clenched his fists.  

If he were to be an obedient subject, a beast of burden, even if he could never become wealthy or noble, he could at least live out his days peacefully, adding bricks and tiles to the immortals’ glory.  

But if he wished to inherit his family legacy and strive upward, the mountain pressing down on his head would only grow heavier, countless and insurmountable, with no hope for ordinary people to break through.  

Fortunately, he was the world’s only Druid.  

‘All the more reason to be cautious, to keep my identity hidden.’  

‘The road is long and arduous, but the future is still ahead!’  

…  

With money to pay, the clerk used spirit stones to activate the Sweet Dew Jade Plate. Clouds roiled in the sky, purple light intertwined, and with rolling thunder, sweet rain poured down massively.  

Peach Blossom Village, scorched for half a month, finally tasted liberation. The dried-up creek also revived anew.  

Li Pingcan noticed that the rainfall only covered Peach Blossom Village; other places remained blazing hot under the summer sun.  

It seemed this magic device could control the range and amount of rain according to the input of spiritual energy.  

“Alright, just as you wished.” The clerk said indifferently, “I still have to bestow rain to other villages. Ah, born to a life of toil.”  

“Farewell to the celestial official.” The old villagers quickly led the crowd in kowtowing.  

Watching the celestial official’s carriage frame disappear into the distance, Li Pingcan had a thought and sent Little Black to follow from afar.  

Peach Leaf Village.  

Having received satisfactory payment, the celestial clerk smiled at the villagers of Peach Leaf Village:  

“Peach Leaf Village is much more obedient than Peach Blossom Village. I will definitely report to the celestial official to petition for reduced taxes and labor for you.”