Chapter 676: The Population Problem

Chapter 676: Chapter 457: The Population Problem

The following year, the seventieth since the founding of the Qingyuan Sect, even more refugees appeared within the Land Realms of the Qingyuan Alliance.

In a newly established settlement, a young disciple in Qingyuan Sect robes watched the starving people lined up for porridge. They were all sallow and emaciated, dressed in rags. A flicker of pity crossed his eyes as he turned to ask Patriarch Yu Man City of the Yu Family, who stood beside him:

“This is the fourth group since spring began, isn’t it? Do you still have enough food?”

Yu Man City was a late-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivator and the patriarch of the largest Cultivation Clan within dozens of miles of this Land Realm. This area was far from the Qingyuan Sect, on the very fringes of the Qingyuan Alliance’s territory.

It was precisely because his Land Realm bordered those of other powers that the number of refugees flooding his lands kept increasing. Ever since the eight major powers of White Mountain had gone to war, a significant number of mortals had poured in every year.

After reporting the situation to the Qingyuan Sect, Yu Man City received a mixed order: relocate some and settle others locally. Most of the mortals were taken inland by personnel sent from the Qingyuan Sect. Only the newest arrivals had to be settled in his territory for six months, their character observed, before they could qualify to move to the heartlands of the Qingyuan Alliance.

Hearing the question from the Qingyuan Sect disciple, Zhao Gong, Yu Man City replied, his voice heavy with worry:

“This is the fourth group. Spring has only just begun, and so many have already arrived. I think there are even more than in previous years. It doesn’t make sense. The only time we saw more people was at the very start of the war; otherwise, this year has been the worst.”

“We have enough food for now. I converted some of my family’s Spirit Rice Fields to grow mortal grain. By using the Spring Rain Technique to accelerate its growth, we can harvest three times a month. The resulting grain even contains a trace of Spiritual Qi, making it very filling. Feeding a few thousand people is no problem.”

Zhao Gong nodded in satisfaction and quickly made a promise:

“Don’t worry, Patriarch Yu. You won’t suffer a loss for this. The Alliance will compensate you. We just need to get through this difficult time.”

“I hope so. But… shouldn’t we tighten our borders? What if, after these factions finish their war, they demand their people back? We’ll have painstakingly cared for them for seven or eight years, all for nothing. In the end, the Great Zhou Academy will just have to say the word, and we’ll have to send everyone back.”

Yu Man City vented his dissatisfaction in a low voice. He had more or less figured out Zhao Gong’s temperament and knew the young disciple wouldn’t get angry over such words, so he spoke his mind.

As expected, Zhao Gong did not get angry. Instead, a resolute expression appeared on his face.

“Our ancestor, the Sect Leader, once said: ‘Do good deeds, and ask not about what comes after.’ The lives of hundreds of thousands are at stake. As long as we have the ability, we should help as much as we can. People aren’t made of stone. Even if these mortals wish to return to their homes after the war, we won’t stop them. If they remember even a little of our kindness, that will be worth more than anything.”

Looking at Zhao Gong, Yu Man City found him hard to understand. ‘How have all the Qingyuan Sect disciples to come out in recent years ended up so full of idealism?’

He was a true member of the White Mountain People; he wouldn’t lift a finger unless he saw a clear benefit. Empty words like “remembering our kindness” simply disgusted him.

‘Only benefits held in one’s own hand were real. He couldn’t understand why the Qingyuan Sect would undertake such thankless work. It would be one thing if these mortals were to belong to the Qingyuan Alliance in the future, but under the patriarchal laws of the Great Zhou Academy, they could be reclaimed with a single sentence. In the end, what was the Qingyuan Sect aiming for? Just a good reputation?’

But if Ancestor Fang Qingyuan wanted to act like a madman, then he—a subordinate of a subordinate of a subordinate—could only follow orders. In any case, the Alliance was reimbursing every Spirit Stone he spent, so he didn’t much care.

“It’s just that we’re short on seeds and draft oxen. There are too many people and not enough land for planting. We can’t just keep feeding them forever. It’s best if they become self-sufficient.”

Seeing that Zhao Gong was still in a good mood, Yu Man City explained his difficulties. Refugees kept pouring in from the outside, bringing their families and dependents with them. His territory wasn’t a prosperous place with many jobs to offer; the only option was farming. But with so many people and so little land, there wasn’t even a single mu to allot to each person. How could anyone be expected to survive on such a tiny plot?

‘Relying on his own Spirit Fields to produce food was manageable in the short term, but how could that possibly work in the long run? Even with subsidies from the Alliance, he and his clan members had their own cultivation to focus on. Who had the energy to constantly deal with these matters?’

“I will report this to the sect. The situation is unusual this year; I suspect some major upheaval has occurred where they’re from. Patriarch Yu, I’m afraid I must trouble you to manage for a few more months. Once things stabilize, it will all work out. For now, I can issue some D-rank missions for Cultivators to build houses and plow fields for these mortals, taking the place of draft oxen. Also, the new breed of draft oxen the sect has been cultivating will be available soon. I will be sure to request several for you.”

“It seems that’s our only option for now… Hm? What is that man doing?”

Zhao Gong followed the direction Yu Man City was pointing and saw a tall man trying to snatch the porridge from a woman’s bowl.

Seeing this, Zhao Gong’s face turned cold. He leaped to the porridge distribution point and, with a wave of his hand, sent the man sprawling to the ground.

“What are you doing? Don’t you know robbery is a capital offense?”

The man who had been snatching the porridge was tall but terrifyingly gaunt, each of his ribs visible. Sitting on the ground and looking up at Zhao Gong—a handsome and elegant Immortal Master—he immediately began to kowtow without stopping, choking out his reply between sobs:

“I… I was confused for a moment! This woman and I became partners on the road while we were fleeing. I took good care of her the whole way! I nearly died in the jaws of a Corpse Ghost just trying to find food for her. I thought… I thought I would earn her affection in return.”