The summer of the eighth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign ushered in a great locust plague.
The locust swarm that Li Daoxuan had eliminated in Luoyang was merely a small offshoot of a far larger disaster. Almost the entirety of Henan Province had been ravaged. Hubei, northeastern Sichuan, and southeastern Shanxi also suffered heavy damage.
Wherever the locusts passed, they left devastation behind.
They descended like a natural calamity, stripping the land bare, gnawing every stalk and leaf until not a trace of green remained.
At this time, Li Daoxuan's field of vision was limited to Luoyang City.
He could protect Luoyang and the regions northwest of it, but the southeastern areas lay beyond his sight. He was powerless to help those places for the moment.
Moreover, Li Daoxuan was still human.
He was not a true god after all.
When the locusts split into smaller groups and scattered into southeastern Shanxi, Mengjin County, and Xin'an County northwest of Luoyang, he often failed to detect them.
Especially when observing the diorama box from outside, the locusts appeared no larger than specks of dust. When massive swarms flew together, they were visible at a glance. But when only a handful fluttered about, they were impossible to notice unless he deliberately activated the focus function.
As a result, the people of Mengjin County, Xin'an County, and southeastern Shanxi were forced into a grueling, endless struggle against countless small groups of locusts.
"Dao Xuan Tianzun!"
From Taiyuan Prefecture and Luoyang City, two prayers rose at the same time.
Henan Governor Fan Shangzheng and Shanxi Governor Wu Shen both bowed deeply toward the heavens, their voices filled with desperation.
"The locust plague is rampant. Your humble officials are powerless to stop it. We beg Dao Xuan Tianzun to display divine might and save the common people."
Two prayers from two distant locations, spoken simultaneously.
It was, frankly, an unreasonable demand.
Li Daoxuan had no choice but to respond with the speed and multitasking ability of a battlefield commander.
First, he switched to the portrait of Dao Xuan Tianzun before Wu Shen and said calmly, "Let me think."
Then, in the next instant, he switched to the newly embroidered golden image of Dao Xuan Tianzun on Fan Shangzheng's chest and spoke sharply.
"Henan is vast. Do you expect me to chase locusts everywhere? Are you trying to drive me mad?"
Fan Shangzheng jumped in fright.
He had never imagined that his prayer would actually summon a response.
Excitement and terror surged through him at the same time.
Excitement, because he had just joined the Dao Xuan Tianzun Sect and already received a direct response from the deity. This proved that his decision had been absolutely correct.
Terror, because he suddenly realized that his request might have been excessive.
Dao Xuan Tianzun was a divine being who acted at his own discretion. To make demands so soon after joining the faith might provoke divine displeasure.
Fan Shangzheng immediately lowered his head, posture respectful and humble.
"Your humble official did not mean that. I would never presume to trouble Dao Xuan Tianzun personally. I only beg that Dao Xuan Tianzun bestow upon us a method to control the locust plague, so that this humble official may protect the people of Henan."
"Hm. That sounds more reasonable," Li Daoxuan replied.
"Very well. Let me think."
Switching back to his true body, Li Daoxuan sat down at his computer and typed in a search query.
"How to control locusts."
Instantly, a flood of information appeared.
He skimmed through it quickly.
For small groups of locusts, manual capture and poultry control were effective methods.
For large scale infestations, however, only one solution was truly reliable.
Pesticides.
Li Daoxuan knew that the people of this era already understood how to deal with small numbers of locusts. There was no need for him to teach them something they already knew. Fan Shangzheng and Wu Shen had their own ways of handling minor outbreaks.
What they lacked was a decisive remedy.
His first thought was the insecticide he kept at home.
But after a moment's consideration, he rejected the idea.
That kind of chemical insecticide was far too potent. If mishandled, it could easily harm people. That would be unacceptable.
Was there an insecticide that was effective but not dangerous to humans?
He continued searching.
To his surprise, he found one.
Biological agents.
But almost immediately, Li Daoxuan remembered that biological agents relied on bacteria infecting the locusts.
Bacteria could not be introduced into the diorama box.
That path was closed.
Left with no choice, he abandoned biological agents and turned to natural plant extracts.
After another round of intense searching, he finally found something suitable.
Neem extract.
More precisely, Azadirachtin.
Azadirachtin was a natural compound extracted from neem tree fruits. It was globally recognized as a broad spectrum insecticide that was highly effective, low in toxicity, easily degradable, residue free, and resistant to resistance development. It caused no harm to humans, livestock, or the environment.
Li Daoxuan was delighted.
He immediately opened his usual online shopping app and searched for it.
The product was available.
A small bottle of 100 milliliters cost only around thirty yuan.
Cheap beyond belief.
Without hesitation, he placed the order.
The next day, the Azadirachtin arrived.
The instruction manual was thick and detailed, listing all kinds of precautions.
Do not touch with bare hands.
Avoid contact with eyes.
Do not eat while applying.
Wear protective clothing.
And many more warnings.
Li Daoxuan stared at the instructions and muttered, "Damn it. This stuff is still dangerous."
In the real world, one drop was nothing.
But inside the miniature world, a single drop would turn into a massive barrel.
If the villagers were exposed to the concentrated solution, it would be disastrous.
He had to be extremely careful.
He could not give them the original concentrate. That would be suicidal.
He needed to dilute it strictly according to the instructions. On top of that, he had to issue divine orders as Dao Xuan Tianzun and force them to follow the usage rules without deviation.
Putting on rubber gloves, Li Daoxuan carefully diluted the 100 milliliters of Azadirachtin with several hundred times its volume in clean water, shaking it thoroughly until fully mixed.
Then, he translated the usage instructions into traditional Chinese characters and printed them out.
Only after everything was prepared did he proceed.
His vision shifted to Hedong City.
Xing Honglang and Gao Chuwu were playing with their son, Gao Zhengjing.
Gao Zhengjing was only two years old, but he had grown into a sturdy child, larger than most three or four year olds. He had learned to walk early, and now he could even hop twice in a row, his chubby arms swinging energetically.
Li Daoxuan switched to the puppet image of Dao Xuan Tianzun resting on Gao Chuwu's shoulder and spoke.
"Chuwu. Honglang. I have a divine remedy for controlling locusts."
Both of them were overjoyed.
"Greetings, Dao Xuan Tianzun."
Gao Zhengjing babbled excitedly. "Ah. Ah. Puppet. Talking. Talking."
His fat little hands immediately reached out to grab the puppet.
Xing Honglang and Gao Chuwu were terrified.
The last time their son had grabbed the puppet, he had snapped its neck with a loud crack. That incident had nearly scared them out of their souls. They could not let it happen again.
Xing Honglang instantly grabbed Gao Zhengjing by the collar, lifted him up, and gave his bottom a sharp smack.
"How many times have I told you? Do not touch Dao Xuan Tianzun."
"Wah. Wah. Woo."
Gao Zhengjing burst into tears.
The puppet Dao Xuan Tianzun chuckled. "Alright, alright. Do not cry. I will sing you a puppet song. The sun shines brightly, the flowers smile at me."
Gao Zhengjing blinked. "Oh?"
He stopped crying immediately.
"Hahaha. What a charming child," the puppet laughed.
Then his tone abruptly turned serious.
"Chuwu. Honglang. What I am about to give you is extremely dangerous."
"Immediately have a servant take the child far away."
"The two of you must wear thick, non breathable clothing."
"It would be best to cover your faces completely as well."