Interstellar Farming: I Make Potions and Climb to the Top

"No! You’re one of the most powerful combatants in the entire Federation. With your abilities, you’re more than capable of guarding the Star Domain Battlefield. If you don’t go, it will be a loss for the entire Federation," Wen Yuebai retorted heatedly.

"The only reason I’m stable now is because of Ning Xuan’s influence. But, as you all know, without a spiritual connection, this influence is temporary. The moment I leave her side, I’ll quickly revert to my true form. After the tragedy four years ago, who do you think would dare fight alongside me?" Di Youlin looked at his mother with a mocking expression.

’No wonder Ning Xuan won’t accept me. Forcing her to bear my child... how could Father and Mother even think of such a thing?’

"Then have her establish a connection with you. As a citizen of the Federation, she should prioritize the greater good. Miss Ning, what do you say?" Wen Yuebai asked, staring at Ning Xuan.

"Give me Di Youlin’s Contract, and promise you’ll never appear before me again. Then I can establish a connection with him," Ning Xuan said.

"My son will not be a slave! You’re humiliating me." Wen Yuebai’s chest tightened with anger.

"Don’t say any more, Mother. I should have died long ago. You have no right to guilt-trip someone just because they did me a favor."

"Let’s go, Chairman Wang." Di Youlin turned to leave.

"Ning Xuan, you’re impossibly arrogant. I was trying to show you some courtesy, but did you really think there’s nothing I can do to you? If you were of no use to my son, there’d be no need for you to exist in this world," Wen Yuebai threatened, the words tumbling out rashly.

"That’s quite an impressive threat, Mrs. Wen. Daring to so brazenly menace my Lord Contract Master." A somewhat languid voice drifted over.

Ning Xuan’s heart leaped with joy. The other rescuer she’d summoned had finally arrived.

She turned to look and saw Yu Mingche approaching. He wore ornate, intricate robes, his figure slender and his features exquisite. Even the way he walked was a delight to watch; he was the very picture of peerless grace.

"President Yu, I heard you were in poor health and resting in bed. What brings you here today?" Di Jingtian asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

Though Yu Mingche was many years his junior, he didn’t dare underestimate the young man.

The Elder Council certainly had a say in major events and policy decisions, but it was the Political Hall that handled the day-to-day administration of the government. Therefore, Yu Mingche, as a Seventh-level Governor, carried no less weight in the political sphere than he did.

"COUGH. COUGH. COUGH." Yu Mingche coughed a few times. He ignored Di Jingtian, instead walking over to Ning Xuan. He knelt on one knee, placed his right fist over his chest, and bowed his head. "Yu Mingche pays his respects to the Lord Contract Master!"

Ning Xuan reached out and helped him up, her sharp nose catching the scent of blood. "You’re injured?"

"Lord Contract Master, I followed your instructions. I made a trip to the Association before coming to see you," Yu Mingche reminded her.

A Contractor hiding information is considered an act of great disrespect toward their Contract Master. Yu Mingche had failed to disable his information block before Ning Xuan’s promotion, so according to regulations, he should have been demoted to a Contracted Slave. However, he was carrying out an important mission at the time, which caused him to miss the window for it, and thus he was granted an exemption. As a result, Yu Mingche was not demoted to a Contracted Slave, but like Chen Nan and Lin Mo, he received a punishment of fifty lashes.

Ning Xuan had been so focused on summoning her rescuer that she’d completely forgotten the message she sent him. ’No wonder Yu Mingche took so long to get here.’

"President Yu, you... you’re Ning Xuan’s Contractor?" Di Jingtian asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Master Di," Yu Mingche replied with a polite nod.

"You and she have an ordinary contract?" Although Di Jingtian was unwilling to believe it, he knew that if it *wasn’t* an ordinary contract, Yu Mingche wouldn’t need to be so respectful to Ning Xuan.

"It’s a mandatory contract, matched by the Mainframe. So, it’s impossible for Mrs. Wen to make my Contract Master disappear," Yu Mingche said with a warm smile and a gentle tone, yet Wen Yuebai felt an inexplicable chill.

Di Jingtian glanced at Di Youlin. ’Ning Xuan has such a powerful Contractor, and Di Youlin didn’t even think to mention it.’

In reality, Di Youlin was just as shocked. As soon as he saw Yu Mingche walk in, he suddenly recalled seeing that Little Fox reveal its true form back in Oasis Fairyland—the true form of a Nine-tailed Fox. But afterward, he had somehow forgotten that memory. ’It must have been Yu Mingche’s handiwork,’ he thought.

"My wife was only joking. Miss Ning saved our son’s life, and our entire family is grateful. My wife was simply speaking from a mother’s love, hoping to ask Miss Ning to grant our son a fair position. After all, Youlin went to the battlefield at the age of ten and has rendered great service to the Federation. With all the military honors he’s earned, he shouldn’t be reduced to a slave," Di Jingtian said, looking at Di Youlin with an expression of profound heartache.

Ning Xuan watched them, thinking, ’They’re both quite the actors. If the two of them hadn’t just been working in tandem to pressure me into having a child for the Di Family, I might have actually fallen for this load of crap.’

"If not for Di Youlin’s past military merits, the incident where he single-handedly destroyed a legion of over ten thousand soldiers wouldn’t have been overlooked so easily. Besides, he’s a Half-beastman, and Half-beastmen can only be slaves. You can’t change that fact, even if you refuse to admit it," Yu Mingche reminded Di Jingtian.

Ever since Yu Mingche appeared, both Master Di and Mrs. Wen seemed to have become much more composed.

Ning Xuan discreetly placed her hand on Yu Mingche’s back. A trace of blood seeped through his robes, and she could feel the muscles there spasming in pain.

"We apologize for our presumptuous visit today, President Yu. I’ll be sure to invite you to our home some other day." Di Jingtian figured they wouldn’t reach any conclusion today, so he decided to retreat for now and do some more digging into Ning Xuan’s background.

"Youlin, you stay here with Miss Ning," Di Jingtian instructed. He then shot a look at Chairman Wang, afraid Di Youlin would ignore his command and return to 701.

One had to admit, Di Jingtian knew his son. As Chairman Wang walked out, Di Youlin followed right behind him.

Di Jingtian’s Flying Car was parked at the main gate outside Ning Xuan’s villa. When he saw Di Youlin resolutely ignore him and board Chairman Wang’s Flying Car, he was so furious he nearly wrecked his own vehicle.

Under Ning Xuan’s watchful gaze, Yu Mingche removed one layer of clothing after another until his upper body was completely bare.

As Ning Xuan looked at the pale, perfect torso before her, her heart hammered and her blood ran hot.

"Lord Contract Master, please inspect the punishment," Yu Mingche said, leaning forward to present his back to Ning Xuan.

Ning Xuan’s heart gave a lurch as she looked at the crisscrossing welts on Yu Mingche’s back. The sight was strangely stimulating, and she felt the blood surge even more fiercely through her veins.

Ning Xuan had Yu Mingche lie face down on the bed.

"Does it hurt?" Ning Xuan asked, taking a topical healing ointment and dabbing it gently onto the wounds on Yu Mingche’s back.