DDDV Ch 81 Part 2 – Star Sand (II)

Lu Yaoyao and Shen Changyuan worked together and constructed a fifty-year development plan for the Abyss.

First, they assessed the resident’s strengths and weaknesses, installed group leaders, and began teaching them literacy and other common knowledge in anticipation of future contact with the three realms.

Secondly, they had to solve the problem of self-sufficiency. The main reason the creatures of Abyss were so brutal could essentially be boiled down to the struggle for survival due to the scarce resource. As the supreme leaders of the new society, Lu Yaoyao and Shen Changyuan had to take care of this matter.

Although the environment of the Abyss was harsh, native non-sentient beasts also lived here. Lu Yaoyao and Shen Changyuan directed their people to capture some of these creatures to be kept as livestock, securing future food. Abyss was indeed scarce and barren, but one thing it didn’t lack was a vast land. Therefore, it was no problem to build a livestock farm. Besides, there were also plants. Obviously, Abyss didn’t have many edible plants, but Lu Yaoyao’s luck was good, and she found quite a few.

In addition to these, there were also spiritual plants that Lu Yaoyao planted within the re-enacted array, which were useful for cultivation. Due to the lack of spiritual aura in Abyss, creatures here could not cultivate, resulting in few differences between sentient beings and ordinary beasts. Most of the residents of the Abyss were the descendants of cultivators who fell here a long time ago and had long forgotten how to cultivate. With the newly-found cultivation resources, they finally learned about the usefulness of spiritual materials. Lu Yaoyao used these things as a reward, greatly improving public enthusiasm.

Lu Yaoyao couldn’t wait to return home, but the opportunity had yet to come. Fortunately enough, they managed to confirm that the star sands were indeed useful to repair the Abyss, so she threw the rest of the box into the chasm.

After that, she turned all her focus on societal development, frequently going to check any changes in the center of the Abyss.

Seeing the Abyss getting better day after day, the residents who were originally full of conflicts and wariness gradually warmed up with one another. Seeing the increasingly harmonious atmosphere, Lu Yaoyao’s heart was full of a sense of achievement, and she said with relief, “These people used to be very problematic, but thankfully, they can still be corrected.”

After the residents started studying and became literate, many began to pay attention to their appearance and manners of speaking. In Lu Yaoyao’s view, they shouldn’t be inherently bad, but were simply forced by circumstance to do everything needed in order to survive. If they were born and lived outside the Abyss, maybe they were just ordinary cultivators now.

The changes that Lu Yaoyao saw were naturally understood even better by the concerned party themselves. Many of the residents spared by Shen Changyuan were not inherently strong. Not only did they have to worry about obtaining food every day, but they also never knew when some terrifying creatures would suddenly appear and swallow them. Living in such a harsh environment, they never had a moment to relax, even in their own homes.

Compared to the previous situation, they now had a beautiful house to live in, didn’t have to hide and worry about their lives all the time, and also didn’t have to risk their lives searching for food every day. Such a good life was beyond their imagination, and slowly but surely, their fear of Shen Changyuan turned into admiration and loyalty.

As for Lu Yaoyao, she was their other king, and they were even more fond of her.

The desire to imitate sprouted from the feeling of admiration and the Abyss residents began to imitate their two kings. Because Lu Yaoyao and Shen Changyuan almost exclusively used their human form for daily life, others also followed suit one after another. Those who could transform would transform, and those who couldn’t also begin to learn to walk upright.

The new residential area was full of various figures standing upright and walking on their hind legs. Most of Abyss’ remaining residents were of mixed blood, so their appearance was close to human, but with various beast-like features such as scaly tails, black claws, and such. All of them had a calm and peaceful look, showing the signs of a prosperous new era.

…

Today, Lu Yaoyao and Shen Changyuan went to visit the center of the Abyss again. Sitting on the back of the black qilin, the little girl in red prattled cheerfully, “Grandpa Tree is really amazing! He has learned all the lessons in the spiritual tablets I brought, and now he is taking over the role of a teacher!”

The old tree demon was the oldest inhabitant of the Abyss. Many times, he acted as spokesperson for Lu Yaoyao and Shen Changyuan, managing the people for them. Other residents were also very obedient to the old tree demon.

Lu Yaoyao’s small pouch also stored the homework and school lessons she did throughout her childhood, stored in compact spiritual tablets. These were just enough to teach basic knowledge to their people, and all that study had now shown a great impact.

“All thanks to you.” Shen Changyuan praised heartily.

Lu Yaoyao’s chest puffed up in pride, but she said modestly, “Brother Yuanyuan and Grandpa Tree have also contributed greatly.”

The area around the center of the Abyss was blocked by Shen Changyuan’s barrier, prohibiting anyone besides himself and Lu Yaoyao from entering. At the end of the cliff, what was previously total darkness was now dotted with dazzlingly colorful lights, a sure proof of the star sands’ effectiveness.

The star sands worked well, and Lu Yaoyao had noticed that the Abyss had stopped expanding outward on the place where star sands were scattered. Unfortunately, it seemed that this small amount was not enough to start repairing the crack itself. They couldn’t find more star sands without leaving the Abyss, but without the sands, they couldn’t heal the crack. This seemed to be an endless loop.

Lu Yaoyao and Shen Changyuan often went visiting to check on the situation, and this time was one of those routine visits. As usual, the two stayed a few days to see the changes in the center, but what unusual was the dream Lu Yaoyao had when she fell asleep that day. At the time, she had turned back into a little furball and lay on the belly of Shen Changyuan’s qilin form; his fluffy tail covered her body.

Lu Yaoyao felt her consciousness drifting farther and higher. The surrounding environment changed, turning into a blue sky until she finally landed on one of the fluffy clouds. She finally remembered having the same dream as a child, but had totally forgotten it after waking up.

Lu Yaoyao looked at the mist blob that was rubbing against her intimately. The blob jumped up and down very energetically. Affected by its mood, Lu Yaoyao also laughed in all cheerfulness. “I remember! You are the friend I made in my dream!”

At this moment, Lu Yaoyao was in her human figure instead of the previous colorful stone. She held the mist blob with her chubby hands and asked, “What are you? Why haven’t you come to my dream for so long?”

After so many years, this was the second time Lu Yaoyao was dreaming of this mist blob. Compared to the last time, the color of its body seemed to have turned a bit whiter.

Facing Lu Yaoyao’s question, the mist blob couldn’t speak, but it rubbed itself on Lu Yaoyao again, acting very intimately.

Lu Yaoyao pondered for a while, then floated up and began to roll in the sea of clouds. In the dream, Lu Yaoyao’s mind was very simple, and she happily played with the mist blob.

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