Chapter 16: A Divine Harvest
"We have pleased the gods!"
Li Xiao and his officials heard the voice of the divine, and their bodies trembled with excitement.
The sacrifices had been made, their faith had been proven, and now—a wish would be granted.
The first time they prayed, the gods had obliterated Chen, granting them unmatched power and expansion.
Now, once again, they had received divine favor.
A high official turned to Li Xiao, his voice filled with urgency.
"Lord King, what should our wish be?"
Li Xiao's eyes darkened with thought.
"We cannot be greedy," he said. "A believer who asks for too much will be forsaken. The gods grant only equivalent exchange."
The officials nodded in agreement.
"Then… what about rain?" someone suggested. "A drought is ravaging the land. If the gods send rain, the famine will end."
Li Xiao shook his head.
"No. Floods and droughts are terrifying, but famine is the true killer."
"If we do not solve the food crisis, millions will perish."
His voice echoed through the hall, and realization dawned on the gathered officials.
They had been focusing on the wrong problem.
Rain might relieve the drought, but without crops, it meant nothing.
Food.
That was what they needed most.
Li Xiao knelt once more, lowering his head.
"Lord God, grant us food that can withstand the drought."
---
In his world, Xia Chuan sat comfortably, listening to the request of his devoted follower.
"Food? Is that all?"
A chuckle escaped him.
If they had asked for something complicated, he might have needed to think.
But food?
That was trivial.
This was a miniature world—its people were the size of ants.
Even the smallest portion of his food could sustain them for decades.
Without hesitation, Xia Chuan walked to his kitchen, pulling out a 50-pound bag of rice.
"This should be enough."
In his world, it was just a bag of rice.
But in the miniature world, it would be seen as a divine miracle.
And with the Bronze Door, transporting it would be effortless.
Xia Chuan ran his fingers along the mysterious symbols engraved on the door.
It was more than just a portal—it was an omnipotent gateway, connecting him to any place he had been before.
Whether it was a person, an object, or a thought, as long as he willed it, he could send it anywhere.
He opened the door and tossed the bag of rice inside.
In an instant, it vanished.
---
In the Tang capital, the people waited in silence, their breath held in anticipation.
Then, a voice descended from the heavens.
"Your wish has been heard."
The words rippled through their souls, sending waves of emotion crashing over them.
Tears welled in their eyes.
"Lord God has answered!"
A thunderous boom echoed across the sky.
A massive bronze gate manifested above the city, its golden glow piercing the heavens.
The people fell to their knees, their bodies trembling in awe.
"A divine portal!"
"The gate of the gods has opened!"
Before they could process what was happening, the door swung open.
And then—
Rice poured from the sky like rain.
A storm of grains fell upon the land, each one the size of a boulder to the miniature humans.
The ground trembled as the rice grains crashed into the earth, shaking the very foundations of Chang'an.
"Dodge! Move out of the way!"
People scrambled in panic, shielding their heads as the divine gift rained down upon them.
A full 50 catties of rice descended from above, burying the outskirts of the capital under a mountain of food.
To Xia Chuan, it was a mere bag.
To the people of Tang, it was a god-given miracle.
"God's gift! This is a blessing from the heavens!"
The people wept with gratitude, pressing their foreheads to the ground in reverence.
For them, this was not just food.
This was divine salvation.
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