Chapter 1011: Northern Court Eight Beasts, Yin-Yang Five Elements Disk (5k, Combined)

He Yuan Prefecture.

The expansive city clung to the mountains, stretching endlessly, with lush, verdant grass.

Having finished today's duty, Yang Xu, as per routine, led his subordinates—twenty-eight riders in total—patrolling around the Flowing Gold Sea, checking for any scouts from the Northern Court and ensuring the fishermen's safety and the normal flow of merchant caravans.

To ensure they would not be harassed by those who were openly "bandits" but secretly "Northern Court soldiers."

These people were also the primary source of military merit during times of no major war.

Splish-splash.

The fishermen gathered at the dock, loading today's catch into various fish baskets, loading them onto carts, hoping to bring them into the city to sell at a good price.

Yang Xu had his men pick out a few fresh fish to buy, planning to slice them that evening, simmer a pot of fresh and spicy white broth, sprinkle some scallions, serve with fried flatbread—just thinking about it made his mouth water.

"Lord Yang." A Wu reined in his horse and came to a stop.

"A Wu, what did you find?"

"I feel like there are fewer eagles in the sky." A Wu grabbed his whip, pointing toward the vast heavens, "There used to be a Northern Court eagle flock, led by a pure white Sea Eastern Green, which the Northern Court nobility kept many of, but only that one had golden-red pupils, exceptionally divine and spirited, leading a sortie every five or six days, but for half a month now, the flock remains, yet the leading Sea Eastern Green is gone."

"You're sure it was the golden-red-eyed Sea Eastern Green? Missing for half a month?" Yang Xu's spirit tightened, gripping the reins firmly.

A Wu hesitated slightly: "Probably."

"Return!"

Yang Xu made a swift decision, turning his horse's head.

The guards inquiring about the price dared not delay, grabbing the fish tails and leaping onto their horses.

The group once again became a whirlwind, rushing urgently toward the city with tight drums and urgent bells.

"Big brother, what's wrong with that eagle?" A Wu lowered his body, "The Northern Court has many eagle kings; changing the eagle king leading the flock is common."

"That's not an eagle!" Yang Xu's expression turned grave.

Not an eagle?

Everyone was bewildered.

If not an eagle, then what?

"One of the Eight Beasts, the Northern Court Male Eagle, Tianren Sect Master Balsute!" Yang Xu spoke, instantly silencing everyone, "That Sea Eastern Green never existed; it is a pure illusion, the manifestation of his heart-fire!"

"What?!"

"Big brother, what is heart-fire again?"

"No time to explain, we'll talk after we return!"

Northern Court Shuofang Terrace, Eight Beasts, Twelve Wolves.

A total of twenty Entering Zhen Xiang masters, long the top combat force opposing He Yuan Prefecture, each side having its wins and losses.

If the Martial Saint does not appear, these twenty are the rulers of the frontier.

Tianren Sect Master Balsute is even more outstanding among the Eight Beasts, capable of ranking among the top five, possessing myriad methods, and even having Martial Saint-level methods protecting the Dao, only seventy-three years old, very young.

Among the Eight Beasts, those before him who were Tianren Sect Masters were all Tianren Heyi, even reaching the terrifying existence of penetrating heaven and earth!

The ones who besieged the Dragon Elephant Martial Saint in the past were precisely three of the Eight Beasts.

Needless to say, whenever one of the Eight Beasts disappears, something major must have occurred!

"Could he have gone to the Great Snow Mountain?"

Yang Xu thought of his junior disciple Liang Qu, who had gone to the Great Snow Mountain, and a deep worry welled up.

Clang!

Iron hooves shattered grass fragments.

The twenty-eight riders raised dust.

Cloud Immortal Isle.

The ornate ceiling flowed like water waves, mist walls hundreds of zhang in all directions encircling.

Accompanied by the Fubo spear drawing a streak of black-gold light, it swung back in reverse.

Roar!

The one-legged Kui beast let out an unwilling, miserable cry, its massive body helplessly collapsing, exploding into vast white smoke.

Black-gold light flickered; Liang Qu stowed the shrunken Fubo into his Cosmos Bag—by now, he hardly needed to act personally; a mere thought, and Fubo could easily pierce through its target.

The Marsh Cauldron trembled.

【Marsh Essence +】

【Marsh Essence: Four Hundred Sixty-Three Thousand】

Obtained a wisp of Earthly Tortoise Kui Qi, which can be used to feed the Little Mirage Dragon, enhancing its ability to transform illusion into reality.

A wisp of dim-yellow tortoise qi flowed endlessly.

Marvelously extraordinary.

The tenth wisp of vital energy, obtained!

Liang Qu waved his hand: "How is it, do you have digestive space?"

"Yes, yes, there wasn't before, but after the boss evolved, it freed up a little." The little tortoise dragon rubbed its belly, wagged its tail, and extended two dragon claws to show a small gap.

Waiting a moment.

With no "dragon" appearing to stop it, Liang Qu raised his hand and released the tortoise qi.

Whoosh!

The little tortoise dragon, hungry as a tiger, gulped down the entire wisp of vital energy in one breath, then patted its belly.

Thus.

The final piece of the Yin-Yang Five Elements puzzle, completely assembled!

Initially, Liang Qu thought the tortoise clan inheritance corresponded one yin and one yang to one Entering Zhen Xiang, ten wisps five sets, five Entering Zhen Xiang,

Reality proved he had overestimated the mirage Qi and underestimated Entering Zhen Xiang; it simply would not work, could not be fused — looking at it now, most likely it was ten strands per pair or ten strands per single one.

Waited quietly for a moment.

"Insight?"

"Mm, hah, it's a bit hot."

The little mirage dragon raised a hand to wipe the sweat from its forehead, stuck out its tongue, like a softshell turtle in the dog days of summer, its whole dragon body about to be melted by the heat inside its belly.

"Uncomfortable?"

"Not really, just hot."

Won't there be any problems?

Liang Qu looked around in a circle.

Before consumption, after consumption.

The mirage dragons inside the Immortal Palace did not show themselves; there should be no major mishap — the little mirage dragon is the only seedling in the Qu River.

Half a day.

The little mirage dragon sweated profusely, its movements showed much fatigue, dangling swayingly from Liang Qu's wrist, but that was all — comparable to a normal person's performance in the dog days of summer.

"Still okay."

Liang Qu had a unique state assessment for the little mirage dragon.

As long as the dragon horns on its head could still maintain their shape, it proved the situation was not too bad.

If the dragon horns could not hold their shape, the problem would be truly serious.

"Let's go out first."

The little mirage dragon wiped its sweat, exhaled and inhaled white mist.

Heaven spun, earth turned.

Sunlight abruptly dimmed.

Just back in reality, the little mirage dragon rallied its spirits, soared out of the quiet room in a flash, howling: "Sister Eying, Sister Eying! Ice blocks! Bring some ice blocks! I've got heatstroke!"

Long Eying raised a hand and wiped; a solid square of ice froze into existence before her.

The little mirage dragon immediately flopped onto it horizontally.

Sizzle!

White smoke curled up.

A small semi-circle melted out on the ice block, the white-haired tail half-hanging, swaying gently; the little mirage dragon braced itself on the edge of the ice block,

shifted its butt, lay down inside, let out a long breath, incomparably refreshed.

"Wuhu, alive again—"

"Hmph, a lucky successor relying on the ancestors!"

The fat catfish crossed its arms, snorted disdainfully.

Relying on the mirage clan's ancestral inheritance, cultivating step by step — hollow and insubstantial, far inferior to the solid foundation it built through its own effort, aided by the gods.

The difference in level is obvious!

"Ble ble ble." The little mirage dragon lay soaking in ice water, spirits revived, stuck its tongue out wide at the fat catfish; halfway through, a *glug* sounded in its throat, as if a wad of cotton were stuffed in, its neck stiffened, eyes rolled back.

Immediately after, another *glug*.

Two violent gasping hiccups in succession; the little mirage dragon's throat seemed stuffed with something, *wala* a sound, breathing suddenly cleared — and in its place, the little mirage dragon spat out a five-colored, variegated—

"What thing? What thing?"

The little mirage dragon turned pale with fright, covered its mouth and lay prone on the edge of the ice block, looking left and right.

Did I spit out the mirage Qi?

Can I eat it back?

Wait.

"What is this?"

A dragon claw pointed.

The vortex water turned into tentacles, rolling up the little thing the little mirage dragon had spat out.

A seed?

Everyone crowded close; the fat catfish also squeezed over, its huge big head blocking the sunlight.

Liang Qu's brow lifted.

In the vortex water, a "seed" the size of an ordinary pea, five-colored and variegated, soaked within; counting the color types carefully, they exactly matched the number of Yin-Yang Five Elements — absolutely related to the mirage Qi's attribute.

Long Binglin asked curiously: "Elder, the Third Prince this is—"

Liang Qu subconsciously communicated with the Ze Ding.

The Ze Ding reacts to the mirage clan's mirage Qi; it should also react to this seed born from swallowing mirage Qi—

Sure enough.

In an instant, the Ze Ding trembled, strange divine radiance drifted out, two lines of information entered the sea of consciousness.

【Obtained Yin-Yang Five Elements Seed】

【Consume one million Water Marsh Essence, or can nurture into Yin-Yang Five Elements Plate.】

"???"

Liang Qu stared wide-eyed, repeatedly confirming he had not misread.

What the hell.

A pea-sized little thing wants one million of my essence?

A single spirit fish only consumes ten thousand essence; how much did the fused Chang Qi I swallowed in the past amount to?

"Furthermore, what is the use of the Yin-Yang Five Elements Plate?"

He looked at Long Binglin and Long Eying: "Yin-Yang Five Elements Seed, Yin-Yang Five Elements Plate — have you heard of them?"

"This is the Yin-Yang Five Elements Seed!?" Long Yanrui exclaimed in surprise.

Liang Qu was stunned: "You know?"

"I don't know." Long Yanrui scratched his head, "Just the name sounds quite formidable."

Liang Qu looked at the two more reliable Long people.

Long Binglin shook his head: "Yin-Yang, Five Elements — there are indeed quite a few objects bearing such titles; many people like to coin names like this. But connecting it to mirage qi and this seed's form, I have never heard of it."

"Why not go ask Senior Mirage Dragon?" Long Eying suggested.

Liang Qu looked at the little Mirage Dragon.

The little Mirage Dragon shook its head: "No more white mist reserves; to enter again would take ten days."

"Then we'll enter again in ten days." The thing won't run away; a million essence couldn't be produced, so curiosity couldn't be satisfied anyway — Liang Qu wasn't in a rush. "You continue advancing east; I'll make a trip back to Hantai."

"Elder, rest assured."

The Cold Ice Spring continued eastward.

Beneath the island ice layers, numerous hooks extended, ropes wound around the hooks; the Round-Head clan dragged the ropes, their "human" forms spreading out, pulling the floating island forward at an unhurried pace.

After passing today's gorge mouth with its significant elevation drop, the river surface gradually grew calm and broad, entering the prosperous Central Plains region once more.

Merchant ships of various families plied back and forth — who knows how many jaws would drop in shock!

Leaping into the water, Liang Qu stowed the 【Yin-Yang Five Elements Seed】 into his Qiankun Bag and burrowed into the vortex waterway.

Busy for half a year, arrangements were finally complete, things on track.

Blue lake water washed over pebbles.

On the meadow, Huai Kong and Otter Lazy-Kai bore the duty of hosting; Otter Lazy-Kai expertly tossed the wok, added boiling water to stew mutton, filtered out the dregs cleanly, seasoned it, then lowered transparent fish slices into the pot.

In the copper steamer, milky-white soup bubbled and boiled, white fish slices floating up.

"Ho, truly fragrant. This water rat actually has such skill — no wonder he's always by Marquis Xingyi's side." Hu Lixin ladled meat in big mouthfuls.

Water rat?

Otter Otter-Kai's ear twitched.

Splash.

In the lake beside the meadow, Liang Qu leaped out, interrupting Otter Otter-Kai's motion of throwing super-spicy chili peppers into the pot.

"Lord Ling!"

"Lord Liang!" Ling Xuan rose from the ground. "Truly enviable, Lord Liang's ability to come and go at will."

"Each has their own fortune. If not for such convenience, I'd also want to keep living on Jiang Zhun's plot of land." Liang Qu glanced down; he didn't see Jian Zhongyi, a slight regret — but there were three extra strangers. "These few are—"

A brown-skinned, tight-clad beauty, possessing muscular aesthetics like a female leopard, Wolf Smoke Upper Realm; an ordinary veteran Tiji cavalryman, looking like he had no great ability, Wolf Smoke Initial Realm; finally a sturdy man dressed as a Great Snow Mountain villager, unremarkable, Wolf Smoke Middle Realm.

These were naturally mere appearances.

Liang Qu didn't believe the imperial court would pick incompetent people; just looking at the three's qi-concealment level, it was extremely excellent.

All three scrutinized Liang Qu with bright, piercing eyes.

Previously when moving the Cold Ice Spring, there was thin mist on the river, and the island was vast; they hadn't seen clearly.

Witnessing him at close range, he was even more vibrant and vigorous than imagined!

Thinking that Great Shun possessed such an outstanding talent, what cause for worry that great affairs won't succeed!

Once the Great Snow Mountain's schemes and tricks are crushed, only then will it truly be a soaring ascent, a broad open road!

"Let me introduce: Gold Medal Tiji Cavalry Su Yuqin, my half-disciple, learned a tenth or two of my skill; henceforth she will specifically handle communication between you and me, so plans aren't ruined by prior ignorance.

And we have dedicated logistics, two Grade-One Dragon Blood Horses — communication is extremely fast. Lord Liang, whatever you need,

don't stand on ceremony; you can tell her everything. The imperial court will satisfy you to the greatest extent possible."

"Good."

"Silver Medal Tiji Cavalry Hu Lixin — Lord Liang can just send him on errands. A large part of the Bai family's internal corruption was uncovered by him; otherwise the Bai clan chief's plan wouldn't have gone smoothly.

Zhe Dan, translator, also Silver Medal Tiji Cavalry, a native of Hantai, understands Great Snow Mountain customs — certainly better than Lord Liang's three subordinates — and knows the vast majority of the dozens of dialects in the Snow Mountain region."

Mutual acquaintance made.

Liang Qu sat cross-legged and joined everyone in ladling meat.

"Lord Ling took the initiative to invite — I presume you've decided to bring me along to handle the dark stakes?"

"Correct." Ling Xuan nodded. "But before that, I still have one question I want to understand."

"How to dissolve 【Drowned Karma】?"

"Marquis Xingyi truly is a clever man."

Liang Qu pointed at Huai Kong: "Does this one understand?"

"Suspended Void Temple Buddha Son." Ling Xuan pressed his palms together.

"Do you know Suspended Void Temple's Wu Zhu Nirvana? Huai Kong grasped the Medicine Buddha inside it."

"Rude, rude." Ling Xuan, a dignified Entering Zhen Xiang, bowed to Huai Kong, simultaneously reacting instantly, eyes flashing. "Marquis Xingyi also grasped a Buddha? And this Buddha can dissolve 【Drowned Karma】?"

Tiji investigate cases, arrest criminals — naturally broad knowledge. Regarding this world's top-five protective grand array, one of the Five True Orthodoxies, Suspended Void Temple's terrifying foundation, they had some understanding of grasping Buddhas.

"Marquis Xingyi never grasped a Buddha." Huai Kong spoke.

"Never grasped a Buddha?" Ling Xuan was astonished.

"Marquis Xingyi entered Wu Zhu Nirvana and personally requested a Ninth Buddha, named Dou Zhan Sheng. From then on, within Wu Zhu Nirvana, the Life Buddha changed from eight to nine."

"?"

Huai Kong glanced at Liang Qu, seeing he didn't stop him: "This Dou Zhan Sheng can further hook the Fundamental Buddha, Great Sun Tathagata. Great Sun Tathagata's dharma can restrain all rituals, like ice and snow melting."

"???"

While holding the Buddha, can one ask the Buddha?

Isn't one's birth Buddha limited to just one?

Is it due to insufficient personal knowledge or errors in previous records? Su Yujin, Zhe Dan, and Hu Lixin completely failed to understand, but seeing Ling Xuan's expression, it seemed to be an extremely serious matter.

Ling Xuan remained silent for a long time, accepting and digesting the facts, updating his "database" afterward, and then inspiration flashed continuously in his mind.

"Niye" is a ritual; they had suspected it earlier, and now, after the hand of the Great Sun Tathagata, it is thoroughly confirmed.

The cause of death of Bai Chenfeng and Bai Chenhonglang also surfaced, and the truth came to light.

The Flying Crane General, whom the Bai family took pride in, simply cannot be used!

No wonder—

No, not at all surprising.

Liang Qu, a Second Realm Grand Master, being able to defeat a Third Realm and a Second Realm in one breath is already quite outrageous.

"Those with extraordinary merit must await extraordinary persons; Marquis Xingyi is precisely such a hero of this era."

Ling Xuan let out a long breath, did not press further, and steered the topic back,

"The Great Snow Mountain intends to perform a blood sacrifice on Blue Lake, pollute the Prepared River, seize the Drought Demon's minor fruit; therefore, Your Majesty sent us to thwart their conspiracy, employ various means, and also allow Jian Zhongyi to exchange merit for punishment. Liang Da, do you know how he can locate the hidden stakes?"

Is it also related to Niye? Liang Qu had long suspected, "Upon ascending to Entering Zhen Xiang, the consumed heavenly and earthly vital energy is disaster energy.

This disaster energy itself shares several similarities with Niye, both can be broadly viewed as bringing misfortune; the hidden stakes planted by the Great Snow Mountain likely use the same method, allowing him to sense them?

Exactly so! Jian Zhongyi can not only sense but also disguise, disguising our dismantled hidden stakes as unchanged; other Snow Mountain monks using disaster energy sensing cannot detect the anomaly, letting us continue dismantling.

Previously, the Wind Horse Flag Formation, Mani Stone Maze, Ice Tower Forest Altar, and several other hidden stakes were all handled this way; based solely on this point, Jian Zhongyi's effect is nearly irreplaceable."

"Can we find another?"

This is not untrue, but consuming vital energy requires Entering Zhen Xiang, disaster energy being superior vital energy; few in the Great Snow Mountain consume it, and how to make him willing to serve? Leave the Snow Mountain, aid the Central Plains?

Jian Zhongyi may not necessarily be honest either.

Liang Qu stroked his chin, inwardly knowing this need not be said.

If not honest, he would surely be better than clueless outsiders; besides, Jian Zhongyi is a "self-surrenderer," Liang Qu cannot impose his own perspective on others, nor can he even affirm Jian Zhongyi's thoughts himself.

After mastering the Eye Recognition Method, he had never felt such hostility from this Prefect.

The Ear Recognition Method also did not yield Jian Zhongyi's confession on the spot.

Disarming bombs is simple; after disarming, not being discovered, Liang Qu currently had no good solution.

Does the imperial court collect disaster energy to retrain a person?

The vast territory of the Great Shun Dynasty sees many natural and human calamities; theoretically, one could wait for collection.

"Since the incident three years ago, whether the imperial court has done so is unknown to us, but currently, there certainly is none."

Liang Qu understood clearly.

"Prefect Ling, did you come today because you found a new hidden stake?"

The true state of the Snow Mountain hidden stakes still requires seeing to believe.

He also wanted this Drought Demon's minor fruit!

"Two."

Ling Xuan drew a cowhide paper from his bosom, unfolded a map of Blue Lake, pointed to two red circles within it, "One is in the western region of Blue Lake, the Hidden Stone Caves; the other is what we recently planned to handle, a Second Realm great demon.

The former is more difficult; the Great Snow Mountain seems to have arranged more than one layer of plan, still in the stake-setting phase, having set up a monk's relic, lacking only a trigger. The latter is already fully arranged; earlier, we were struggling with how to slaughter it, an underwater great demon, easy to defeat but hard to kill, never expecting Liang Da to show up."

"Second Realm great demon—time is of the essence; let us go now."

"Does Liang Da need no preparation?"

"Prepare what? Isn't it a Second Realm great demon?"

"Also—"

Ling Xuan silently rolled up the cowhide map.

Two days passed in a flash.

The sky was tile-blue.

The treasure ship cleaved waves and chased the surf.

"Here we come!"

Jian Zhongyi and Liang Qu narrowed their eyes simultaneously.