A few days passed.
Xia Chuan had completely consolidated his cultivation in the golden realm. The innate qi within him surged further, while his internal organs underwent thorough refinement.
It was only a matter of time before his organs reached perfection, paving the way for an assault on the diamond realm—a higher realm of power.
Reaching the diamond realm would also extend his life expectancy to an incredible two hundred years.
This was one of Xia Chuan's driving forces in cultivation. Who wouldn't strive for a longer life?
"Hmm? The power of faith seems to have grown significantly as well. Have the number of believers increased again?"
Xia Chuan’s heart stirred as he felt an unending flow of golden faith energy surging into him, filling every corner of his being with warmth and strength.
In truth, his rapid cultivation progress was heavily reliant on this immense power of faith. Without it, refining his internal organs alone would have taken at least two decades.
"Yes, Master," the Book of Wisdom’s voice resonated, calm and authoritative. "It has been ten days since you last connected with your believers in the miniature world. For them, however, ten years have passed. In this time, the Tang Kingdom has experienced monumental changes, and the number of your believers has risen to an astounding twenty billion."
"Twenty billion?!" Xia Chuan’s eyebrows shot up.
Just ten days ago, his followers had numbered around twelve billion. Now, they had swelled by another eight billion. The growth was staggering—nearly a seventy percent increase in just ten years.
"How did their numbers grow so fast?" Xia Chuan asked, his curiosity piqued.
The Book of Wisdom explained, its voice imbued with a sense of reason. "In addition to the Tang Kingdom annexing several smaller nations during this period, thereby absorbing their populations, the natural birth rate of the kingdom has been extraordinary. Over these ten years, billions of new lives have been born."
"Impressive," Xia Chuan murmured, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "The people of the miniature world truly have a knack for reproduction. I wonder how the Tang Kingdom has developed in my absence."
His thoughts lingered on the gifts he had bestowed upon them—knowledge and tools capable of catapulting their civilization forward. Ten years was a long time for such changes to take root.
"Master, you needn’t wonder. Here is the current state of the Tang Kingdom," the Book of Wisdom intoned.
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Without delay, a vast stream of information poured into Xia Chuan’s sea of consciousness. Images, events, and reports from the past ten years unfolded before him like a grand tapestry.
At this moment, in the miniature world, on the border of the Tang Kingdom, stood Heihe City.
Though merely a small border town, Heihe City boasted a population exceeding one million. Its bustling streets and thriving commerce had earned it a reputation as a trading hub between the Tang Kingdom and neighboring nations. Goods from far-off lands flowed into Heihe City before dispersing across the vast Tang Kingdom.
Whoosh!
A group of travelers entered the city. Their gazes darted around, brimming with intrigue and hidden motives.
Among them stood Zhao Feng, the third prince of the Treasure Nation.
The Treasure Nation, one of the mightiest empires nearby, governed a population of tens of billions. Its ruler wielded several world artifacts, solidifying the nation's dominance. Yet even with such strength, the meteoric rise of the Tang Kingdom had stirred unease within the Treasure Nation's court. Spies were dispatched to uncover the secrets of this burgeoning power, with Zhao Feng leading the current mission.
"So, this is the Tang Kingdom?" Zhao Feng murmured, his eyes locked on Heihe City. Though a mere border town, it radiated an aura of prosperity. Towering walls encircled the city, clean streets bustled with life, and an air of vibrancy was palpable.
He couldn't help but compare it to the neglected, decrepit border towns of his own empire.
"This city is too clean," Zhao Feng remarked, a hint of disbelief in his voice. Though not pristine, the absence of litter and the faint fragrance of flowers in the air were almost surreal.
In contrast, his own nation's cities reeked of decay, their streets choked with filth.
"Face value, nothing more," sneered a subordinate beside him. "This is probably a facade to impress foreign visitors. A trade city like this likely spends a fortune on maintaining appearances to deceive others into thinking the Tang Kingdom is prosperous. Foolish, if you ask me. Instead of investing in their military or acquiring advanced weaponry, they squander resources on this nonsense."
The subordinate chuckled mockingly. "If our army marched in, their citizens would scatter like leaves in the wind."
"A weak nation is nothing but prey," another chimed in. "In this war-torn world, only strength matters."
Despite their words, the subordinates couldn't entirely suppress their admiration. Deep down, they knew they would prefer living in a clean, orderly city like Heihe.
"But something feels off," Zhao Feng muttered, scanning the streets. "Where are the beggars? In any city, especially one this prosperous, beggars should be a common sight."
It was a strange anomaly. Even in the Treasure Nation, where wealth and power reigned, beggars and vagrants were a persistent presence in every city. Yet here, not a single one could be seen.
As he pondered, a local passerby overheard the conversation. The man sneered at Zhao Feng and his entourage, his disdain evident.
"You must be outsiders," the man remarked, his voice dripping with scorn. "Don't you know? Begging is illegal in the Tang Kingdom. Anyone caught begging is arrested and put to work building railways."
"What?!"
The Treasure Nation party bristled at the man's condescension. To them, the Tang Kingdom was but a small and insignificant nation, yet this commoner dared to look down on them as if they were ignorant peasants. The audacity was infuriating.
"How dare—" one of Zhao Feng's subordinates began, his anger boiling over.
"Enough," Zhao Feng interrupted, raising a hand to silence them. Despite his own indignation, he understood the importance of their mission. They were here to gather intelligence, not to create a spectacle.