**Chapter Ninety: The Arrival of the Agricultural Goddess! Second Update**
2015-08-21
**Author: Floating Tower**
Saint’s Cataclysm.
Everything Soren had done was to prepare for its arrival. Although the Saint’s Cataclysm was filled with tremendous opportunities, he still hoped to mitigate some of the disasters it would bring. The arrival of the Agricultural Goddess made him realize that he might be able to change the trajectory of this world slightly. If food production could really increase, fewer people would starve to death due to famine when the Saint’s Cataclysm erupted.
Even just a few more survivors would be a significant achievement!
Thus, Soren brought the Agricultural Goddess to the third largest laboratory in Modo, which was the domain of the wizard Saruman.
As a wizard employed by Modo, he had officially become a part of the city. After witnessing Modo’s rise, Soren’s investiture, and Gloria’s advancement to Legendary Witch, it would have been foolish not to choose to join. Thanks to the wealth provided by Treasure Island, the gray-robed wizard Saruman had been living quite well recently.
He had a new alchemy laboratory.
He had extra funds to purchase materials and assembled a clay golem as an assistant, and he expanded the scale of his apprentices, bringing back six low-level wizard apprentices from the Northern Region a while back. Nowadays, he had most of his time available for his own research. If it weren’t for Soren’s increasing demand for fertilizer that forced him to improve the alchemical methods of production, he might have been able to delve into the realm of high-level wizards.
Saruman’s spellcasting talent wasn’t high; his innate intelligence was far inferior to geniuses like Gloria, but he was very gifted in alchemy.
Moreover, he seemed to have made some interesting research findings.
Saruman’s laboratory was the only alchemy workshop in Modo that was open to the public and not overly guarded. Except for the core laboratory where he conducted research and had many spell traps set up, officials from Modo City would come by every day.
Modo City needed spellcasters.
Any talented individuals would be selected, without needing to possess overwhelming abilities. As long as they could advance to become wizards, it was enough.
The alchemy laboratory required a large number of wizard apprentices to work.
After three expansions, Saruman’s laboratory now covered almost five acres, including cultivation rooms, an alchemy chamber, apprentice areas, libraries, and more.
Saruman was also improving his personal collection!
Every month, he would borrow books from Gloria’s library, transcribing them to fill his own library, using them to educate his apprentices when necessary.
When Soren arrived, Saruman immediately received word and came out to welcome him.
Upon seeing Soren beside him, Saruman’s expression was one of shock because, in his understanding, he couldn’t imagine anyone who could have the god Soren personally accompany them.
Then, he saw the symbol of the Agricultural Church and a lady in the lead observing the area.
A lady who looked quite ordinary.
But she exuded a certain mysterious aura; Saruman seemed to realize something and involuntarily shivered. A trace of panic crossed his face as he deeply bowed his head in humility and respect.
The lord of the city was truly becoming more remarkable!
Even the Agricultural Goddess had come personally; was it because of those troublesome matters?
Saruman had always felt somewhat underutilized. After all, he was a capable alchemist, and his daily tasks consisted mainly of producing improved fertilizers, expanding the production scale, and occasionally enchanting items for extra profit.
This job was comparatively easy, but he always felt he hadn’t fully utilized his talents.
However, seeing the Agricultural Goddess’s arrival today made him suddenly realize he was wrong—dead wrong, extremely misguided.
The avatar of a deity personally descended.
And came to Modo City just to check on the trivial matters he was responsible for—this hidden significance was immense.
“Lady, please!”
Soren made an inviting gesture, then gave Saruman a glance beside him.
There shouldn’t be anything unclean inside, right?
He had always known Saruman was conducting some special research, including mutated plants from the tropical rainforest. Not long ago, a laborer’s accident caused him to come into contact with a man-eating flower, which bit off part of his arm with its sharp fangs, necessitating the priest to cast the divine technique ‘Regeneration of the severed finger.’
Researching mutated plants wasn’t an issue, but Soren feared that Saruman might inadvertently research dark taboos and annoy the goddess.
Saruman shook his head lightly, indicating he hadn’t touched on any overly dark fields.
That was reassuring.
As long as there was nothing dark and taboo, it would be fine; after all, the Agricultural Goddess had always been quite neutral.
“Eh?”
The Agricultural Goddess slowly walked into the cultivation room and looked surprised at the mutated plants inside, gently touching them with her long, fair fingers.
These aggressive and dangerous plants all calmed down upon her arrival.
Some even swayed slightly, as if trying to please the goddess. She was the master of plants; although her divine profession was agriculture, the Agricultural Goddess could control any plants.
“Hehe!”
The Agricultural Goddess chuckled softly, like a spring breeze, whispering, “Interesting little things. They may have some use in the future.”
With a gentle wave of her hand,
Seeds fell into her palm, which the Agricultural Goddess collected and then smiled, saying, “Very interesting research. Perhaps you and Karadag will have some common topics.”
Among the entourage, a legendary druid also showed surprise and slightly bowed his head upon hearing this.
Many druids were masters of botany!
Saruman had been researching these mutated plants, which were indeed quite dangerous, possessing strong vitality. If they were not incapable of movement, many would have a challenge level of 5 or higher.
These plants could be used for defense but not for offense.
Soren had always allowed Saruman to conduct his research, and he did have plans to utilize his findings. Today, unexpectedly, the Agricultural Goddess also expressed interest in these plants.
The laboratory was busy.
Modo City was cultivating more and more farmland, leading to an increasing demand for fertilizer. The Southern Coast region had already opened up a sales route; currently, fertilizer was one of Modo City’s economic sources.
“It seems there are a bit too few hands.”
The Agricultural Goddess glanced around, slightly furrowing her brows; the current number of personnel couldn’t meet her requirements for promoting new agricultural practices.
Fine cultivation, using fertilizers, expanding production.
The Agricultural Temple wielded considerable influence over the entire Material Plane, and the scale of its promotion was evidently vast.
“Yes.”
Soren nodded lightly in response. “Because production requires a basic foundation of spellcasting, we can only currently use apprentices. If we want to expand the scale, we may need more personnel.”
At this, Soren couldn’t help but look at the Agricultural Goddess before him.
Personnel.
Modo City had a natural reserve of high-quality fertilizer; even with full development, it could last over ten years. By then, they would surely have researched alternatives, but for now, they still relied on manpower to accumulate production.
Since the Agricultural Goddess had ideas for promoting new cultivation, she naturally needed to provide some support.
With the current strength of the Agricultural Church, pulling out a batch of spellcasters was evidently easy; Soren needed her to provide enough personnel.
“It’s a simple principle.”
A legendary druid who had been standing in the entourage stepped forward. He glanced at the alchemical device in front of him and, with his legendary knowledge, immediately understood the entire principle. He approached the Agricultural Goddess and whispered, “It just requires a bit of spellcasting ability. If there are raw materials, even druid apprentices could complete it.”
Druids were also spellcasters.
There were many druid apprentices within the Agricultural Temple; they could replace the wizard apprentices.
“Is that so?”
The Agricultural Goddess stood still, contemplating for a moment, as if thinking of a suitable approach. She smiled and said, “Lord Soren, I believe we should go outside to discuss this privately; perhaps there is a way for us to achieve a win-win situation.”
Soren smiled and nodded.
In fact, he had already guessed something—it was probably about turning selling fertilizer into selling raw materials.
For him, as long as it could make money, even if it didn’t, establishing a connection with the Agricultural Goddess was also quite good, after all, she had two powerful backers behind her: the reclusive Mother Earth and the Lord of Radiance with strong divine power.
The background of this goddess was not simple!
………………(To be continued ~^~)
