Chapter 176: The Grain God

The Ascension Platform was powerful, but its restrictions were severe.

A Lord descending into a newer sector could not bring his Domain. Only the Lord, Heroes, and troops could make the journey. The greater the age gap between sectors, the more expensive the descent and the longer the advance registration required.

"Sacred Crystals, Mirage Sea Sand... Why does it cost this much? A hundred units need the core of a Legendary beast!"

The fat Lord winced at the requirements on the panel. With some effort, he turned toward his companion.

"Can I decide not to go?"

Below the platform, a slender, fine-featured Black Banner Lord searched the Exchange.

"The military will reimburse all the costs," he said patiently. "And there’s a substantial subsidy on top. It’s a very profitable trip."

"Tervain, your brother needs veterans to deal with one Crown commoner? Is he useless?"

Osmund Tervain, elder brother of Galen Tervain, did not let his irritation show.

The fat man’s clumsy movements and simple expression made him look almost harmless. Osmund knew better. This was a Spiritbound Lord with a permanent pact to Gluttony, an evil god of the Spirit Realm.

He had swallowed dozens of Warden-class Lords by himself. When he lost control, he ate his own side too.

"This Cassian isn’t an ordinary commoner," Osmund said gravely. "People in the Homeworld are comparing his talent to House Valcrest’s founder. Let him grow, and he’ll become a serious threat to the Black Banner throughout the Seventh Realm."

Every year produced a few new geniuses supposedly equal to some great founder. Most of those comparisons were empty praise. Osmund added something more persuasive.

"He also has twelve Dragons."

"Dragons?" The fat man licked his lips. "They must taste good. I want to go and eat them."

He completed his registration. Osmund smiled.

Success.

With three more years in the Realm, Osmund considered himself more than capable of killing Cassian, even under Level suppression. His Legendary Sword Saints practiced Grade-B arts, most of them at Greater Mastery. Those arts alone added more than fifteen hundred stars to their strength. Then there were their equipment and skills.

The military was sending more than a hundred War Lords to make certain of the result.

Still, there was no harm in using overwhelming force. Bringing a monster like Tobren Morvane would remove the last uncertainty.

Tobren rubbed his belly.

"All this talk of eating has made me hungry. Will you stay for a meal, Tervain?"

Osmund’s expression changed. He managed a smile.

"I wouldn’t dream of disturbing your enjoyment."

He hurried into the Gate.

Stay, and he might be the guest. He might also be the meal.

When Gluttony went mad, friendship meant nothing.

——

Cassian had barely returned to his Domain when an unexpected video request arrived.

He accepted it with a smile.

"Corin. What can I do for you?"

"I’d like to buy some high-Quality produce," Corin said directly.

As expected.

Anyone with sense could see whose work had put Riftward first in Agriculture. The most popular explanation was still that Cassian had exchanged for a large number of Time-Space Farms on the third floor. Whatever the cause, everyone assumed he had enormous stores of spiritual plants.

That part was true.

Corin was a fellow Crown Lord. Cassian had no reason to refuse him, but...

Seeing him hesitate, Corin quickly continued.

"It’s for Dain. He has a special Talent Skill. High-Quality food lets him increase his attributes quickly."

"Stronger by eating?" Cassian’s eyes lit up. "How does it work?"

Dain’s large figure appeared beside Corin’s. He was not much of a speaker, but after listening for a while, Cassian understood the broad effect of the skill.

His interest grew with every explanation.

A skill like that might as well have been made for him. His Domain had more high-Quality produce than it knew what to do with. If he could put it into the Eclipse Hall...

He held back his excitement.

"I have plenty of produce. But my wager has just paid out. With my share of a four-point-six-billion-Aether pool, I’m not exactly short of cash."

It felt good to say that to an heir like Corin Alder.

"What would you like, then?"

"Garrison Farming Art. And Dain’s skill."

Corin’s expression tightened.

"Garrison Farming Art is a closely guarded family skill."

A notification interrupted him.

Cassian had sent a single grain of Legendary Moonrice, one Legendary Moonfruit, and a sample of Legendary Azuremist Fruit through the Exchange.

"Legendary..." Corin stammered. "Do you have a Legendary Farmer as well as those Time-Space Farms?"

"Think it over," Cassian said with a smile.

Corin’s expression kept changing. He had hoped for Epic produce. This was far beyond his expectations.

Legendary plants would help more than Dain. Corin could use them himself, and his Epic Tiger-Leopard Riders could gain a substantial increase in attributes too.

"One copy of Garrison Farming Art, with Aether to make up the rest," he said at last. "But I’ll need time."

"Agreed."

"As for Dain’s skill, that’s harder. It’s a Talent Skill. Even he doesn’t have a book for it."

"Let me try drawing a skill from him twice. Whether it works or not, that part of the bargain is fulfilled."

"Twice?" Corin paused. "Absorption Stones?"

Cassian nodded.

"You really do have everything." Corin sounded envious.

Obtaining a copy of Garrison Farming Art clearly wasn’t easy, even for a member of House Alder. It was noon on the third day before Corin finally delivered the book.

Cassian wondered whether he had stolen it from home.

Then came the skill extraction. Dain cooperated, and Cassian used the two Absorption Stones he had obtained on the Glory Battlefield.

The second attempt succeeded.

[Ravenous Appetite]

[Grade: C]

[Passive Skill: Accelerates digestion and converts food into attribute gains.]

A plain name and a modest grade, but exactly the effect Cassian wanted.

Cassian opened the Exchange and completed two trades.

He exchanged Garrison Farming Art and eighteen million Aether for a copy of Heavenly Garrison Farming Art. Ravenous Appetite and another twenty-five million brought him the Grain God skill book.

The new passive was far more effective than Ravenous Appetite. Even the name sounded grander.

Cassian was still considering how to assign the two books when a rapid series of chimes broke in.

The Riftward management group flashed red.

Highest-priority alert.