"What's going on? Why are the scarecrows crying?"
"That's impossible! I've never seen them cry before. They're always happy—as long as they have work and crops to protect, they're content. But now... look! The fields are full, harvest is near, so why… why are they weeping?"
Baffled citizens gathered outside the city walls.
Dozens of years had passed without seeing a single scarecrow behave like this. Now they ran about the spiritual fields, checking one crop after another with visible grief, as though their world was collapsing.
This was beyond strange—clearly, something major was happening.
"Something's wrong. Quickly, alert the authorities!"
Soon, officials arrived to investigate.
But no matter what questions were asked, the scarecrows only sobbed, walking through the fields, gently caressing crops as if saying farewell—heartbroken and wordless.
"Report this up the chain—immediately.
I have a terrible feeling something huge is about to happen."
Even the city lord came personally, but despite his inspection, no obvious reason could be found.
Using the Heavenstar Bracelets, he reached out to fellow city lords—and was shocked to learn that the same phenomenon was occurring across numerous immortal cities, with the signs spreading rapidly.
Faced with this, the city lords jointly issued an emergency memorial to the court.
They also did everything they could to communicate with the scarecrows.
Finally, they received a response:
"They're sick.The rice is going to die.
The crops are ill.The spiritual fields are diseased."
Then, they resumed their weeping, endlessly circling the fields in sorrow.
Within moments, a flood of emergency memorials reached Yi Tianxing—not just one or two, but thousands, from all corners of the five realms under Great Yi's control.
"The scarecrows are crying.They say the spiritual rice and crops are sick."
Yi Tianxing's brow furrowed deeply.
Crop failure was no small matter. Great Yi's population was immense, and their daily consumption of grain was colossal.
What's more, ordinary grain could only keep people fed—cultivators needed spiritual grain, and spiritual rice was in massive demand.
Great Yi's spiritual rice was grown in several key ways:
Spiritual fields outside Immortal Cities.
Pocket realms (Qian-Kun Dongfu) owned by citizens.
Cloud Realms within the Xuanhuang Immortal City.
The internal Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower.
However, the rice from the Heavenly Tower was held in reserve and not released publicly—it served as a strategic resource, used to regulate market prices and maintain control over people's livelihood.
This stockpile was a hidden card, not to be played lightly.
But now, with spiritual fields across the realms turning sick—With scarecrows crying in every region—The potential consequences were staggering.
Countless citizens might suffer economic ruin, and if grain supplies failed, it would strike the very foundation of Great Yi.
And once the people lose confidence, the entire realm becomes unstable.
This was something Yi Tianxing would never allow.
Plants could fall ill, just like animals and people.And some plant diseases were terrifying, fast-spreading, and utterly devastating.
If unchecked, this outbreak could become a national catastrophe.
And the sheer scale… this wasn't isolated—it was everywhere.
"Summon Song Yingxing to an audience."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath and issued the command.
"Yes, Holy King!"
Shortly after, Song Yingxing arrived at the Hall of Insight.
Currently the Dean of the Agriculture Academy at the Immortal Academy, Song Yingxing had cultivated countless skilled agricultural cultivators and had pioneered spiritual rice varieties with immense value.
His contributions to Great Yi were immeasurable.
"Holy King, your summons must be regarding the mass abnormality in spiritual crops across the realm."
He saluted and got straight to the point. Naturally, someone of his position would already be informed—if he hadn't known, it would be a joke.
"Correct," Yi Tianxing nodded solemnly.
"This isn't confined to one or two cities. The problem spans vast regions—Hanhai, Bohai, the Caribbean, and more.
In all five realms, the scarecrows are crying.
Yet on the surface, the crops look fine.
I want you to investigate this matter immediately."
"Understood. Your Majesty, I speculate this is a plant-based plague.
The scarecrows are born with a natural affinity for crops—They know when something is wrong.
One scarecrow might be mistaken, but tens of thousands weeping in unison?That cannot be coincidence.
I estimate a 90% probability that something truly is wrong.
I advise the immediate locking down of all Immortal Cities.
We must prevent further spread—especially into the Qian-Kun pocket realms, where spiritual fields are also cultivated.
Though… I fear it may already be too late."
A shadow had fallen across Song Yingxing's heart, growing ever heavier.
He feared they were already past the point of containment.
"Too late," Yi Tianxing confirmed grimly.
"The reports say Qian-Kun realms have already been infected.
Scarecrows sent inside still cry without pause.
This isn't a spreading plague—it appeared simultaneously across every region."
A normal contagion might be stopped with borders and barriers.
But this had emerged instantly, everywhere. It wasn't a wave—it was a storm that struck all at once.
Sealing cities wouldn't help. The damage had already occurred.
"Then, Your Majesty, I request permission to lead the Agriculture Academy's students to investigate across the cities.
Also—has there been any anomaly within Xuanhuang Immortal City?"
Song Yingxing's voice turned urgent.
"No," Yi Tianxing shook his head.
"Xuanhuang remains untouched.
Neither its fields, nor its Qian-Kun realms, nor the Cloud Realms—Nothing has been affected.
All scarecrows there are normal."
The moment the news broke, he had asked Ruyi Immortal Fairy to verify the situation. The sacred city remained pure.
The illness had not breached it.
After all, Xuanhuang wasn't just a city—it was a divine artifact, the Eternal Heaven Ark, and the sacred heart of the entire dynasty.
"That's good news," Song Yingxing said.
"Until we know how this sickness spreads,
I suggest keeping Xuanhuang hidden.
Do not expose it—no matter what."
If anything happened to the Sacred City, it would be a disaster beyond reckoning.
"Don't worry.
Xuanhuang will not fall."
Yi Tianxing's tone was resolute.
"Now go. Investigate immediately.
Report back the moment you discover anything.
Do everything possible to contain and resolve this crisis."
Song Yingxing bowed and left without delay.
He returned to the Immortal Academy, rallied the best students from the Agriculture Academy, and set out at once.
Riding the Rainbow Bridge, they descended into a city known as Harvest City (Fengshou City).
Harvest City was located in a region of fertile soil and abundant water. It had quickly flourished as a center of crop cultivation, surrounded by rich spiritual fields.
The spiritual rice grown here was top-grade, famous across Great Yi.
Upon arrival, the local city lord was overjoyed, personally guiding Song Yingxing and his team outside the city walls.
There, the cries of the scarecrows were already echoing through the fields.
The sorrow in the air was thick and suffocating.
Looking into the fields, they saw rows upon rows of Jade Rice—a rare high-grade crop with a vivid green luster, said to be born from the essence of jade mines.
It matured within one year and produced nourishing, crystal-clear spiritual grain.
Its quality: Upper Profound Grade.
Though not as powerful as Earth Grade rice, it had shorter growing cycles and was far more efficient.
"Teacher… these Jade Rice plants look normal.
I don't see any signs of illness."
One student, dressed in traditional farming robes, furrowed his brow.
The mystery deepened.