> "You people can't even handle Lin Zhou digging dirt?
Should I go ahead and overthrow the Heavenly Dao too?"
— Crown Prince of the Empire · Chiyan · Lei Ze
---
[Previously, at dawn]
In the herb shop courtyard…
Lin Zhou, now dressed in a pink work uniform, resumed tilling the herb beds.
Li Xinglan sat atop the courtyard wall, watching him expressionlessly.
"If you show any emotional fluctuation," she said coldly, "I'll suppress you instantly."
"I'm just digging a hole. Relax," Lin Zhou replied.
Xiao Li grinned from the side, snapping a photo. "Bro, you crouching with a hoe looks like an emperor surveying his empire!"
"Don't joke," Lin Zhou said. "I just want to find a sweet potato."
Meanwhile, far away at the Imperial Army's main base—
a secret report landed on Crown Prince Chiyan Lei Ze's desk.
The moment he read it, his expression exploded.
---
[Imperial Army · Grand Command Hall]
"Lord Lin Zhou is doing hard labor in a herb shop?! Publicly interrogated?!"
BOOM!
Chiyan Lei Ze slammed his palm onto the table. Golden flames erupted from his hand, melting through the blacksteel desk in an instant.
"Who approved this?!"
His aide trembled. "It… it was Star Judgment Officer… Lady Li Xinglan."
"WHO gave her the guts to interrogate my savior?!"
Throwing on his flaming red cloak, thunder-fire swirled around his body. His eyes turned blood-red as he roared:
> "Send the order—100,000 imperial red-armored riders, deploy in 'Protect Lin Zhou Mode'!"
"Target: the herb shop! I'm going to interrogate the ones who interrogated him!!"
---
[Meanwhile · Demon Realm Forbidden Grounds · Blood Prison Palace]
The blood parasol spun slowly. Hong Lei sat on her bone throne, a seductive smile on her lips.
In her hand, a blood mirror showed Lin Zhou crouching in the dirt, digging for potatoes.
She whispered sweetly:
"So someone actually dared issue an interrogation order on him?"
A demon general beside her trembled. "My lady… should we respond?"
Hong Lei lifted her parasol handle and drew a blood-red sigil in the air.
> "Deploy the Blood Parasol Barrier—100 li radius around Lin Zhou.
Any unauthorized approach will be converted into soul mist."
The demon general collapsed in terror. "T-That's a forbidden clan barrier!"
Hong Lei chuckled. "He was digging with such focus… I couldn't bear to disturb him."
---
[Dragon Clan Sanctuary · Beyond the Skies]
The White Dragon Saint sat upon the golden throne, surrounded by bickering dragon elders.
"Lin Zhou is about to activate a forbidden ruin?!"
"He disturbed three leyline pulses?!"
"We must detain him at once!"
The Dragon Saint snorted. "You old geezers understand nothing."
He waved his hand, opening a massive projection of Lin Zhou in a pink uniform, hauling bricks.
> "Look at that back.
That steady shoulder.
That humble, sage-like gait!"
> "I'm convinced—he is the reincarnation of our Dragon Mother's sacred son!"
The dragon elders: "…Didn't you say he was your son in a past life?"
"I got that wrong. I see clearly now—he's my future dragon father!"
The elders: "…"
---
[Herb Shop Gate · Afternoon]
Sunlight fell across Lin Zhou's dirt-smudged face. He wiped his sweat, wondering if he could score a second bowl of tofu soup tonight.
Xiao Li was sketching in the dirt beside him. "Bro, I think there's a ruin network under our plot. We might dig up something epic."
"I just want potatoes," Lin Zhou replied.
"What if you hit a dragon vein?"
"I'll run on the spot."
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The entire street shook. Dust flew into the sky!
Ten thousand red-armored riders stormed the herb street like a tidal wave. At the front, cloaked in fire and thunder, stood Chiyan Lei Ze!
He roared:
> "Lord Lin Zhou is here!
WHO DARES TOUCH HIM?!"
Civilians instantly dove to the ground. "It's the Crown Prince! He's laid siege to the city!"
---
[All Three Arrive at Once]
At that moment—
Blood rained from the sky. A parasol spun slowly downward, and Hong Lei descended with a flirtatious smile.
She twirled the parasol and said sweetly:
> "Your Highness has brought quite the army.
Why not let me add my Blood Parasol Heaven?
We'll seal the area off together and raise him like a pet."
Chiyan Lei Ze frowned. "What are you implying?"
"I mean… don't disturb him while he digs."
"You want to imprison him?"
"Heh… I just want to pamper him."
Just then, the clouds exploded—
a divine dragon cry echoed across the sky!
A golden light burst forth, coiling into a hundred-zhang-long divine dragon that spiraled down from the heavens—The White Dragon Saint!
With pride in his eyes, he raised his arm and shouted:
> "I declare from this day forward—
Lin Zhou shall be the official inheritor of my Dragon Bloodline!
Title: Father of Dragons!"
The three powers gathered.
The scene? Pure chaos.
---
[Herb Shop Courtyard]
Lin Zhou had just buried a yam back in the soil. When he turned around, he nearly dropped his shovel in fright.
"You guys AGAIN?!"
Chiyan Lei Ze rushed forward and knelt. "Forgive me, my lord! I'm late!"
Hong Lei stepped in, wiping his sweat. "You're sweating again? The wind's strong. I brought a temperature-stabilized blood curtain."
The Dragon Saint moved in with a ceremonial robe. "Let me put this Dragon Robe on y—"
"NO NO NO NO NO NO!!" Lin Zhou dodged.
On the rooftop, Li Xinglan gripped her spear tightly as she witnessed the absurd scene unfold.
"…These people… are insane."
---
[Chapter End · Celestial Surveillance Hall · Emergency Report]
A joint report arrived:
> [Crown Prince, Demon Lord, Dragon Heir]
All three major factions have arrived at the herb shop and declared protection over Lin Zhou.
Threat level upgraded to:
World-Class Protectorate Convergence Chain.
The surveillance elder's forehead veins popped:
> "Just what kind of person is he?!
Worth starting a war over a steamed bun mouth?!"
Star Judgment Officer Li Xinglan slowly spoke:
> "Because he's not the protagonist."
"He is…"
> "The one being in this world you must never provoke, never touch, and never, ever corner."