The plan that Jiang Yan and Ganyu had discussed was put into motion the very next day.
At first, the villagers of Guili Plains were uneasy.
They knew that the immortal named Ganyu was gentle and kind… but their impression of the Wood Spirit Adeptus—Jiang Yan—was another story entirely.
Especially since, in the beginning, they had even given him the nickname "the man-eating immortal."
That alone was enough to make some villagers sleep poorly at night.
But as the new policies were implemented, their fears began to fade.
Jiang Yan didn't just treat everyone equally—he often went out into the fields himself, inspecting their farming and asking questions.
When he saw villagers wearing thin, ragged clothes while working in the cool spring air, he returned that evening with piles of clean, warm garments for everyone.
As for where those clothes came from...
Well, no one asked Jiang Yan directly. But the column of smoke rising in the distance told the story well enough—
he had wiped out another demon god's tribe.
Sometimes he would even bring food, sharing a meal with the farmers while chatting about what could be improved.
And any problem that arose? Jiang Yan would fix it within a day—two at most.
The people soon came to deeply respect this immortal who worked tirelessly and treated them with compassion.
Under Jiang Yan's protection, the people of Guili Plains experienced a peace and stability they hadn't known for nearly ten years.
Some were so grateful that they built ancestral tablets to honor him, offering incense daily to the Immortal Lord Jiang Yan.
Of course, Jiang Yan himself had no idea.
Whether governing or caring for the people, he lived by a saying from his past life:
"If you hold the people in your heart, they will lift you to the heavens."
The name Wood Spirit Adeptus spread quickly through the surrounding lands.
Nearby tribes envied the people of Qingce—not just for their prosperity, but for having such a kind, benevolent immortal to watch over them.
The demon gods, however, only sneered.
"Benevolent and kind? Ha! He didn't seem very kind when he came at me with that giant golden Buddha!"
And so it went.
As Guili Plains grew more prosperous, Jiang Yan's reputation reached almost mythic proportions.
People from far and wide braved mountains and monsters just to reach Qingce—seeking the safety and peace of his domain.
For ordinary humans of that age, their desires were simple—
they wanted to live without fear.
Yet in an age of gods and endless war, even that was a luxury.
But as more and more refugees arrived, Qingce began to overflow with people.
The Thousand Rock Army soldiers returned to full-time military service, no longer tending fields, and now had to maintain public order instead.
Yet as capable as they were in battle, they were ill-suited to civil disputes.
So Jiang Yan summoned a group of Thousand Rock Guards from Guili Plains—officials trained in local administration.
With their arrival, Qingce's governance improved dramatically.
During this time, Jiang Yan received a letter from Guizhong.
"Morax has settled the situation at Dunyu Vale and returned to Guili Plains.
He has also forged a contract with Havria."
Guizhong fully supported the arrangement.
As the chief administrator of Guili Plains, she immediately understood how vital the Authority of Salt was for sustaining the people.
With Havria's cooperation, the region's salt supply was stabilized, and new trade routes were established with surrounding tribes.
And so, five years passed in the blink of an eye.
After five years of peace and rebuilding, Guili Plains had transformed.
Golden rice fields swayed in the wind, filling the air with a rich, sweet aroma.
The villagers' faces beamed with joy and contentment.
"Hey, did you hear? The Immortal Lord was seen on the eastern mountain today!"
"No way!"
"It's true! I saw him with my own eyes!"
"Liar! I saw the Immortal Lord up north today!"
"That's impossible!"
As the sun dipped below the horizon, a group of villagers walked along a smooth, well-paved road, chatting and laughing on their way home.
Two years ago, Jiang Yan had stopped appearing among the people as often.
Now that Guili Plains ran smoothly, he had set his sights on a different mission—
The Great Qingce Treasure Chest Purge Project!
To the villagers, however, life without seeing their Immortal Lord felt strangely empty.
What could make them feel safer than having him nearby?
For a time, a "Find the Immortal Lord" craze swept through the village.
Eventually, Jiang Yan had to appear in person just to calm everyone down—
a situation that left Ganyu laughing at him for days.
And where was Jiang Yan now?
Up in the mountains, chasing something, his voice echoing through the forest—
"You little bastard, stand still!"
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