A man from the Big Dipper, starting his charlatanship at Mount Tai.

Just as he was pondering this, the man who had drunk the water first suddenly crawled over on his knees and kowtowed heavily.

"Immortal Master! Please take us in! We are strong and capable! We can do any kind of work! We can carry sedan chairs and dig for wild vegetables! We just ask that you give us some food so we don't starve to death!"

As soon as he spoke, the other refugees realized what was happening and knelt down in unison.

"Please, immortal master, take me in!"

"We are willing to follow the immortal master! We'll be your servants or slaves!"

"Immortal Master, have mercy!"

The shouts grew louder and louder. They could see that this "immortal master" was kind-hearted and truly capable. The vat of "holy water" was proof of that.

Following him might save my life.

Lin Xiu looked at the people kneeling on the ground, and after a long while, he softly uttered a single word.

"it is good."

Overjoyed, the man kowtowed three more times, drawing blood from his forehead. He got up, turned around, and shouted to the refugees, "The immortal master has agreed! The immortal master has agreed to take us in!"

The refugees were stunned at first, then erupted in thunderous cheers. Some knelt on the ground and wept, some hugged each other, and some kowtowed repeatedly in the direction of Lin Xiu.

After Lin Xiu raised his hand to signal, the noise gradually subsided.

"Since you're going to follow me, you need to abide by the rules." Lin Xiu's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"First, you must not bully your companions or steal their food."

"Second, obey orders and follow instructions without question."

"Third, the elderly, the weak, women, and children should be given priority. Do you understand?"

"I understand!"

The refugees responded one after another, their expressions filled with excitement, for they had finally seen a glimmer of hope!

.......

Lin Xiu nodded and looked at the first man: "What's your name?"

"My name is Wang Ergou..." the man said timidly.

"Alright, Wang Ergou, you'll temporarily act as the squad leader and take charge of these hundred men. Select a few more literate or respected individuals to lead the roll call every morning, distribute food and water, and maintain order."

"Those who do well will be rewarded, and those who do poorly will be replaced."

Wang Ergou was so excited that he trembled all over and nodded repeatedly: "I will definitely do it! I will definitely do it!"

Lin Xiu said no more and turned to walk north. The refugees quickly followed, forming a long, winding dragon.

In the days that followed, Lin Xiu led this group of refugees northward.

He was neither from a prominent family nor a high-ranking official, but because of his ability to feed people, the refugees all respectfully called him "the Immortal Master".

Lin Xiu would use "spiritual rice and Daoist essence" to make water every day and distribute it to everyone.

Wherever the caravan passed, new refugees joined them, increasing from a hundred to several hundred, and then to over a thousand.

Lin Xiu soon discovered that the famine in this world was far more severe than he had imagined.

The fields are barren, and nine out of ten villages are empty.

Along the way, one often saw the bones of the dead, some already gnawed on by wild dogs. Occasionally, one would encounter a village still inhabited, but the villagers all looked pale and sickly. Upon seeing this group of "refugees" passing by, they treated them as if they were facing a formidable enemy, keeping their doors tightly shut.

Chapter 112 Great Master of Immortal Realm? No, Great Master of Wise Realm (Fifth Update)

Two or three months later, the team had swelled to several thousand people.

Lin Xiu was no longer able to manage the group alone. Fortunately, literate scholars and impoverished landlords joined the team one after another. They had some knowledge and experience and took the initiative to help Lin Xiu manage the team, register the names, distribute food, and maintain order.

One evening, the team set up camp in an abandoned village.

Lin Xiu sat under a tree at the village entrance as Wang Ergou led two men over. One was an elderly scholar in his fifties, dressed in a faded scholar's robe; though his face was pale, his demeanor was still quite proper. The other was a middle-aged scholar in his early forties, with a calm demeanor and shrewd eyes.

“Master, these two are Mr. Chen and Mr. Li. They are both scholars and are willing to help us manage the accounts and keep the roster,” Wang Ergou said respectfully.

The old scholar bowed and said, "I am Chen Yanshi, formerly a local schoolteacher. Greetings, Immortal Master."

The middle-aged scholar also bowed and said, "My name is Li Dakang, and I was once a minor official in the county. I greet the Immortal Master."

Lin Xiu looked the two over and nodded, "Sit down."

The two carefully sat down on the opposite rock.

"Tell me, how did the world become like this?" Lin Xiu asked.

Chen Yanshi sighed, his expression sorrowful, and said:

“Since last year, the newly harvested rice in the fields has been different from that of previous years. Eating it increases one’s strength, and long-term consumption can even prolong life. The government calls it ‘miracle rice’.”

"Lingmi?"

Lin Xiu raised an eyebrow. Of course he knew about Spirit Rice; the Daoist essence he copied was Spirit Rice from the cultivation world.

However... the spiritual rice he replicated was far more powerful than the spiritual rice nurtured by the sparse spiritual energy in this world.

.....

"Yes." Chen Yanshi nodded.

"Spirit Rice".

"In my opinion, the root cause of the current chaos in the world is Spirit Rice."

"After the imperial court discovered the effects of the spirit rice, it ordered all prefectures and counties to transport all the spirit rice to Luoyang to be used as military rations. It is said that His Majesty intends to train a powerful army to pacify the four directions."

“The yield of spiritual rice is not high to begin with. The government forcibly requisitions it, even taking away the people’s food rations. The old rice stored up from previous years is tasteless, and... for some reason, people nowadays get hungry very easily when they eat old rice, and they can’t be full without spiritual rice.”

Lin Xiu frowned: "I see."

Spiritual energy is reviving; all things possess a spirit.

Newly grown rice contains a faint spiritual energy, hence it is called spiritual rice. Mortals who eat it can strengthen their bodies and improve their health.

However, the old stored grains were not nourished by spiritual energy and remained ordinary rice.

As the mortal body is subtly transformed by spiritual energy, the demand for energy increases, and ordinary rice is no longer sufficient to support the consumption.

This is the true root cause of the Great Famine.

Instead of providing disaster relief, the imperial court forcibly requisitioned sacred rice in order to build an invincible army and consolidate its rule.

As for the common people starving to death? In the eyes of those big shots, it's not as important as strengthening the army with spiritual rice.

Li Dakang continued:

"After the changes in the way of Heaven, only things that are still alive can retain a portion of the spiritual energy."

"So, after hunting all the prey in the area, some refugees were starving... and others..."

He didn't finish speaking, but Lin Xiu understood.

The biggest reason... is that the laws of nature are changing too quickly.

If everyone absorbed spiritual energy from childhood, their bodies wouldn't be in such a desperate need to replenish past deficiencies.

.......

Lin Xiu remained silent for a long time, then sighed and asked:

"If I give you land and seeds, so that you can grow spiritual rice and feed yourselves, would you be willing to follow me and build a new world?"

Chen Yanshi and Li Dakang exchanged a glance, their eyes shining.

"willing!"

"Though I am old, I am willing to serve you, Immortal Master, like a dog or a horse!" Chen Yanshi said excitedly.

"I am willing too!" Li Dakang stood up and bowed deeply.

Lin Xiu nodded and looked at the camp in the distance.

Thousands of refugees, ragged and emaciated, had a glimmer of life and hope in their eyes. They looked at him as if he were their only lifeline.

He got up and walked to a makeshift wooden platform in the center of the camp.

The audience gradually quieted down, and everyone looked over.

Lin Xiu spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it clearly carried throughout the camp.

"Are you willing to follow me to build a peaceful world where farmers have land, weavers have looms, residents have houses, and the old and young have someone to rely on?"

A moment of silence fell over the audience.

Immediately, a deafening cheer erupted.

Because they've wanted to do this for a long time! They've just been waiting for the immortal master to give the call!

"I am willing to follow the Immortal Master!"

"Peace! A peaceful world! Follow the immortal master and there will be a peaceful world!"

Lin Xiu raised his hand to signal, and the shouts gradually subsided, awaiting his next instructions.

Lin Xiu sat on the high platform, his gaze sweeping over every face below.

"From this day forward, I establish the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom! I proclaim myself the Great and Wise Teacher!"

"Raise an army... to overthrow the Han!"

Cheers erupted again, their sound echoing across the fields.

……

The banner of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was raised on a desolate plain in Jizhou.

The news spread like wildfire.

Refugees flocked from all directions to seek refuge with "Da Liang Xian Shi".

Lin Xiu accepted all comers, using "Spirit Rice Daoist Essence" to transform water and distribute it to everyone. However, the number of people kept increasing, from several thousand to tens of thousands, and then to hundreds of thousands. The amount of essence required to replicate the Daoist Essence had become astronomical.

Therefore, Lin Xiu used the Dao Rhyme Space to decompose the "Dao Rhyme Original Self" within the Dao Rhyme Space, restoring it to its most primordial essence, and causing it to spread outwards from its own territory.

But it's still not enough.

Lin Xiu's plan was not just to feed people; he also intended to let the excess spiritual energy dissipate in order to change the entire environment.