Dawn hit the citadel fields like a gentle slap—golden light spilling over infinite paddies I'd accidentally expanded last week. Mom stood knee-deep in mud, hoe slung over her shoulder, apron swapped for a simple farm tunic. Around her: chaos. Vespera, Void Empress turned Primal Early, poked dirt, confused, voids leaking accidentally. Yue Zhilan gripped the spear like a plough handle, frowning. Soul Sovereigns x200, Absolute x500—emperors of infinities—huddled with hoes too big for hands. Lian laughed from the sidelines, Absolute Sovereign Early now, mud-splattered, happy. Dragons curled rice edges politely, and phoenixes perched watching.
"Listen up, godlings!" Mom barked, her voice cutting qi storms easily. "Sovereigns? Pfft. Swing wrong, rice dies. Grip loose—like this." The demoed arc was smooth, the qi invisible, but the earth hummed. Soil parted in perfect rows. "Plant seeds. Firm, not crushed. Kingdoms feed on roots, not swords."
Vespera tried first. Hoe plunged—void hole swallowed paddy. "Oops." Mom sighed and patted my arm. "Gentle, void-girl. Fill back." Vespera blushed emperor-pink, dirt patching voids sheepishly.
Yue next. The spear-plough sliced deep—rice drowned in mud slurry. "Too much power," Mom clucked. "Woman strong, but rice fragile." Yue deflated the rare, adjusted grip one way. Next row: perfect. Grinned kid-proud. "Like spear forms!"
Pantheon grumbled first—"We devour non-existence!" one Absolute muttered. Mom overheard and whacked my butt with the hoe handle. "Non-existence doesn't feed bellies. Rice does. Swing!" Laughter erupted. Lian joined, showing mortal tricks: "Mom's qi bends soil alive."
By noon, Miracle bloomed. Soul Sovereigns planted soul seeds—rice glowing eternal. Absolutes furrowed absolute rows—infinite yield promised. Dragons breathed warm mist gently, and phoenixes sparked growth flames softly. Vespera mastered, voids nurturing seeds dark-rich. Even Nyxthar shadowed weeds away silently.
Mom walked lines, correcting grips and praising straightness. "Good, thunder-boy." Zoltar beamed, lightning dim and polite. "Lady Li teaches dao deeper than bolts."
Lunch: her buns, infinite steaming rice. The throne hall turned into a farm feast—emperors cross-legged, mud-caked. Stories flowed. "Chen kid hated weddings," Mom said. "Ran off portals. Good riddance—the world needed him." I choked, bun. "Mom!"
Yue leaned. "Lady Li, join formal? Mortals need farmer queen."
Mom waved. "Village calls. But teach weekly. Gods forget dirt." Pantheon nodded eagerly—Soul Emperor bowed. "Lessons eternal!"
Afternoon drill peaked. Mom called the contest "The fastest perfect field wins." Chaos—voids, souls, absolutes, racing hoes. Lian won mortal grit. Prize: Mom's hoe copy, origin-fused glowing. "Roots eternal," she said.
The system chimed farm-soft.
"Ding! Maternal Farming Dao Unlocked. Kingdom Yield x Infinite. Pantheon Unity Max. Mom Cultivation: Primal Sovereign Peak Casual. Followers: +14 Realms. New Title: Farmer Sovereign."
Sunset painted paddies endless gold. Mom shouldered the hoe and hugged me roughly. "Proud, Chen. Gods learn to be humble." Winked. "Train wives too."
Pantheon bowed deep—Yue first. "Lady Li... dao master."
She laughed, walking through the portal home. Fields glowed richer.
Kingdom breathed dirt-fresh. Emperors farmed now.
One mom's hoe conquered pantheons deeper than Fangs.