Chapter 1140: Dragon Girl Heart Fire, Infiltrating the Interior

Nanhai Commandery, Son of Heaven Wharf.

The number one great port under heaven, the entire harbor under wartime lockdown, soldiers patrolling in crisscrossing shifts, strictly conducting entry and exit registration; without a permit,

vessels are absolutely forbidden to dock.

The Heposuo support force forced its way into this harbor, presented documents, delivered supplies; even at midnight, quite a few people had no heart for sleep. Two hundred li further southwest was already the frontline of combat, Xialong Bay; the day before yesterday a good several dozen men had just died there, unspeakably miserable.

"The Southern Frontier, ah."

Ta Ta held out a porcelain tray with both hands and served up a heated roast lamb leg.

Liang Qu gazed from the bow of the boat.

Lights sparse and scattered, all blocked by trees; moisture in the air ample, far more comfortable than the desert's dryness — ignoring the temperature, that is.

Unlike the struggle between Dashun and Beiting, where both sides take the Great Wall of Heyuan Prefecture and Shuofang Terrace as boundary, with a corner of Blue Lake as buffer, possessing extremely clear territorial demarcation.

Between Dashun and the Southern Frontier, there are no high city walls, no special terrain, only continuous mountain ranges, crisscrossing rivers, and sentry posts in the woods.

All engagements are interspersed battles, ambush battles; in the center between the two powers' forces, a narrow, deformed "prosperous" three-no-man's-land has been spawned.

Tribes exiled by the Southern Frontier, criminals fled from Dashun, strength varying — there are Wolf Smoke demon lords, Galloping Horse fierce men, even Four Pass ruffians; they eat raw flesh and drink blood, everyone changes color at the mention of them, a place neither side's common folk are willing to go.

"Ashui, where'd you dig up this lamb leg and lamb chops? Doesn't look like local mutton; is Southern mutton this tasty?" Ko Wenbin asked.

"Not Southern mutton, it's Mobei mutton!"

Xiang Fang Su gnawed a lamb leg clean, sucked the marrow, unable to put it down.

Twelfth month, early into winter; the northern sky could freeze a man to death, the Southern Frontier hot as can be, food spoils in half a day; the holds are all used for important supplies, no space for a meat ice cellar; he hadn't eaten such authentic northern mutton in a long time, one whiff and he recognized it.

"If there's food, eat it; why ask so much? Knowing too much gets your head chopped off." Liang Qu leaned on the rail, flipping through Eying and Long Binglin's Gu insect notes.

"So you didn't come out this whole trip, completely finished digesting it?" Xu Yuelong wiped his mouth.

Pa!

Liang Qu closed the booklet, bared a mouthful of white teeth: "That's right, Heaven-Man Unity, Six Heyi, reaching heaven and earth; incidentally during seclusion I had another comprehension,

touched the Heavenly Pass, preparing to settle and settle, will go knock knock later; when the time comes I'll treat you all to King-sealing wine."

Si!

Cold air sucked in.

The already sweltering weather grew three parts hotter.

How could it be that fast?

Think carefully: how many Entering Zhen Xiang Martial Saints have been stuck at the three steps? It seems Liang Qu walked them all in a single year?

"Five years, right?"

Ran Zhongshi pinched his

fingers, quickly calculating Liang Qu's Entering Zhen Xiang promotion date; he only remembered the second year the Pingyang Prefect was replaced.

"I have a feeling, the forty-odd Entering Zhen Xiang we're supporting this time, tied together might not be as useful as Ashui alone." Xiang Fang Su clicked his tongue. An Entering Zhen Xiang Grandmaster who has touched the Heavenly Pass and also possesses Heart Fire stands at the very peak of Entering Zhen Xiang.

The Heavenly Dragon Wu Sheng is too overpowering; every move becomes known to the world, making action far less convenient than for Entering Zhen Xiang. Dashun is disadvantaged on the frontal battlefield, but not to the point of being unable to trade off a Wu Sheng. The Heavenly Dragon's influence on the war situation is not great. In other words, on the current Southern Frontier battlefield, if the Heavenly Dragon doesn't move, Entering Zhen Xiang is king. By realm alone, Liang Qu is the undisputed number one! Thrown into the mountains and forests, he is a fierce tiger no one can stop!

"None before in history, will any come after?"

"The Overlord is an ethereal legend, Ashui you son of a bitch are standing right in front of us."

"Haha, overpraise overpraise." Liang Qu cupped his hands. "All thanks to my invincible talent; actually I haven't shed that much sweat."

"......"

No one paid him any mind; they buried their heads gnawing meat, minds all unconsciously pondering the same thing.

How could it be that fast?

Fast enough to seem like everyone isn't even cultivating the same path.

From Liang Qu's promotion to Entering Zhen Xiang, still within the realm of understanding, to today — why? Pile up all the treasures under heaven and you still wouldn't find one with such miraculous effect, right?

Bright moon shining pure.

Ai.

Thinking and thinking, everyone felt a touch of desolation.

What height will I reach in the future? A level impossible to attain in a whole lifetime.

Why is cultivation so hard?

"Tomorrow the Grand General hosts a welcome banquet for us; everyone eat your fill and rest early." Xu Yuelong felt morale was a bit depressed. Before, Liang Qu was fast, but still within Wolf Smoke, Hunting Tiger, and Entering Zhen Xiang — mostly heights everyone's talent and ability would reach in the future, just a matter of speed; in the end all living roughly the same span of years. But Heavenly Dragon —

Heavenly Dragon sealing King; from now on there won't be any jokes about clocking in at Heposuo.

Who knows, three hundred years later they might be lying in their graves, descendants not even knowing their ancestors were colleagues with the Southeast King for a few years.

"Eat and drink your fill, dismiss!" Xiang Fang Su tossed down the bone. "Tomorrow we have to work; don't go losing your heads."

"Ashui, got any tokens made? Bring some out to spend."

"Make some tonight, deliver them to you tomorrow."

"Deal."

Tides surging.

Watching colleagues depart, Liang Qu likewise sensed the changing scene; leaning on the railing, hand dangling.

Not just colleagues, but fellow disciples, and kin.

Senior Brother, the Xu clan, Master, Long Binglin, Long Yanrui —

Many things have not happened yet at this moment, yet can be foreseen to certainly appear in the

future. Time forgets too many things. Three hundred years and eight hundred years, the gap between them how vast. Perhaps some sadness, like studying together for a few years then suddenly being split into different classes.

If only I could seize the Underworld.

In this instant, Liang Qu suddenly understood the Great Li Taizu's ambition.

Create a small world, be the Heavenly Dao oneself, have things however one wants.

In the Dream Dynasty, reaching the Sixth Realm grants immortality; reaching the Fifth Realm grants a lifespan of a thousand years.

Liang Qu even felt this wasn't the limit, but rather a result deliberately set by the Heavenly Fire Sect—taking the extreme while maintaining stable operation.

The Mirage Dragon's ability is no different from consciousness uploading; with guaranteed sufficient rest and the "server" not crashing, there logically shouldn't be any lifespan limit.

"The sickness of the human heart, nothing is worse than selfishness."

Liang Qu mocked himself.

Generation after generation, endless—if it really goes on like this, when will it end? It will only spawn endless troubles.

The voyeur said the Blood Treasure was man-made; there's reason to suspect the Heavenly Fire Sect destroys them in batches to maintain stability.

On the Creation Treasure Ship, figures grew sparse.

Ta Ta cleared the empty plates, stacking them one by one, selecting until they reached six chi high, swaying unsteadily as she carried them to the kitchen.

"Ashui, how's it going?" Xu Zishuai walked over and asked.

"It can come to a close." Liang Qu smiled.

"It worked?"

"It worked!" Liang Qu nodded seriously. "Ling Xuan and the others are writing the report, preparing to return to the Imperial Capital. I have to write one too. Back and forth, too rushed. Originally thought I could squeeze out some time, who knew the fleet had already arrived in the Southern Frontier."

From the banquet to today's return from visiting Loulan, all told it was barely two days—truly stretched too thin.

"What about that side?" Lu Gang asked. "Didn't you say you needed to find an excuse to go out?"

"Before, I'd just joined, so every move easily drew attention. Now, I've already blended in. Returning on schedule to show my face doesn't matter. Besides, the Heavenly Fire Sect is assigning me work. If there's an external posting, that's even more freedom."

Xu Zishuai was surprised: "You still have to work after dying?"

"Of course. What's the difference between the mortal world and the underworld?"

The Heavenly Fire Sect doesn't support idlers. Even Elders, though they don't participate on the front lines, nominally must hold a department post. It's just that Liang Qu arrived recently, cutting in line, and they hadn't arranged it properly yet. Strictly speaking, he was in an unemployed state.

Xu Zishuai rubbed his hands, full of anticipation: "That thing you mentioned—what does it look like?"

"A red gourd."

"A gourd?" Xu Zishuai was very curious. "Did you bring it on you? Yi—"

Lu Gang pulled Xu Zishuai away: "You don't need to mind him."

"Even if I wanted to, I can't." Liang Qu laughed helplessly. "This thing is fierce. With insufficient cultivation, just getting close and taking a look would probably kill you."

Without refining the Control Fruit, this thing is a weapon of mass destruction that doesn't distinguish friend from foe. It's just that Liang Qu has the 【Vortex Palace】, giving him one extra lifeline compared to others.

"Then forget it. I want to live two more years."

After confirming Liang Qu's condition, Xu Zishuai left with regret, and together with Lu Gang, prepared for tomorrow's report.

"Deng deng deng."

Two claws pushed against the ground.

Little River Otter wiped the deck footprints with her bottom, from left to right.

The sea wind lifted her temple hair.

Long Eying hugged her arms, watching quietly.

Too lazy for nonsense, Liang Qu scooped her up horizontally, fingers sinking into the soft flesh of her thighs, and leapt into the cabin.

Cultivating the "Human Form Returning to Origin," and after connecting heaven and earth, the greatest benefit is undoubtedly turning from a fish back into human form, and when merging with Blood Sha and the House Body, briefly possessing tactile sensation.

Truly wonderful.

The only pity is that in the current state, doing it always feels weird. After some intimacy, there's no next move—better to persist in cultivating the "Yin Yang Spirit Seed Art."

The back of his head rested on Long Eying's thighs. Liang Qu tasted and savored, fingertips caressing calves like mutton-fat jade.

"The birth of a Position Fruit is related to the environment. Things reverse at the extreme. The fruit is in Blue Lake. I figured the desert might have a corresponding one, so I rushed to fly for a day, ran to the Saibei Desert to take a look. Who knew there'd actually be a harvest—I got a wisp of Long Qi, and found some clues in the Kingdom of Loulan."

"Loulan?" Long Eying knelt by the bedhead, curious.

"You know Loulan and the Ba Kingdom once paid me heavily to seek a child. I took a wisp of Long Qi and split open a canyon. They caught me red-handed, so I had to visit. Their thieving hearts never died—they finally seized the chance."

"You just agreed?"

"They insisted."

"They insisted and you gave in?"

"They insisted!"

As they spoke, both laughed.

Liang Qu climbed up from the thighs, put his arm around Eying, cupped her face, and kissed her.

"You? I need to check your cultivation progress. Has the Dragon Lord's essence blood been digested? How many Qi Seas?"

"Digested half."

"Not bad." Liang Qu exclaimed. "Refining half and you reached Heaven-Man?"

The Old Dragon King is simply a treasure all over.

He started missing the dragon body in the Avici Hell again, only hating his teeth weren't sharp and fangs not keen, never got a taste.

"Not just Heaven-Man." Long Eying turned sideways, shifting to a more comfortable position. "Guess how many times my Qi Sea?"

Liang Qu raised an eyebrow. "Madam asks like this, the answer definitely isn't simple. Normal Third Realm breakthrough should have a hundred-odd. But your Dragon Lord essence blood isn't fully refined, showing ample reserves. You should have relied on the Dragon Lord essence blood to cultivate directly to Third Realm Perfection—320? Dragon people have unique advantages. I guess... 400?"

"Less."

Liang Qu was surprised, thought for a bit.

"Madam is exceptionally gifted, broke limits twice. 500?"

"Still less."

"1000!" Liang Qu didn't believe there could be this number.

"1500."

"?

Liang Qu stared dumbfounded.

Twenty times four times four again.

Three realms of Heavenly Man, no matter how you break limits, it's impossible to break past a thousand, unless it's not twenty as a base but sixty, but even Zhang Longxiang might not have that many.

Then the answer has only one possibility: the pile foundations aren't three, but four!

"You have Heart Fire?!"

"Mm-hmm."

"That shouldn't be right." Liang Qu pondered, "My Heart Fire was knocked out of me by Zhang Longxiang after the Six Demons Trial; I've never heard of any treasure that can help ignite Heart Fire. Is Dragon Lord essence blood this outrageous?"

Long Eying smiled: "Why must it be essence blood? Can't it be something I cultivated myself?"

Not essence blood.

Liang Qu's expression shifted, he suddenly thought of something, a trace of shame welled up in his heart, he scratched his head somewhat awkwardly: "When I died?"

"I forgot." Long Eying's eyes curved like crescent moons.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Would telling you make you happy for me or sad?" Long Eying smiled, eyes full of laughter. She didn't care too much about this matter. "It's related to you, but not that closely related."

Liang Qu understood: "Is it the Dragon People clan?"

Long Eying nodded.

Liang Qu's death alone, the impact was indeed sufficient, but still not enough to ignite Heart Fire.

In the Six Demons Trial, Liang Qu lived through an entire water-control lifetime, and was also hammered by Wu Zhiqi, yet even like that he didn't burn it out. Happy Buddha came out, pissed on the Sixth Desire Heaven's hand, and finally it was Zhang Longxiang who knocked it out of him.

Heart Fire requires a thousand hammerings and hundred refinings.

Liang Qu's death was at most a fuse, equivalent to Zhang Longxiang's punch. The real key was before Long Eying met him,

thirty-plus years of life experience, and the Dragon People clan's chronic death and clansmen's entrustment.

Jiao Long, you really deserve to die.

No.

Whale Emperor, Da Li, Jiao Long — you three benevolent ones really deserve to die.

It's all the fault of you three!

Refine pills, fiercely refine pills. One Whale Pill, one Soul Pill, one Jiao Pill!

"Spring is coming soon!"

Liang Qu's eyes shone brightly.

Now it's the twelfth month, already entered winter. After winter comes spring!

Heavenly Dew Long Qi was refined and promoted to Entering Zhen Xiang, becoming a Qi Sea. The Ze Ding could no longer provide information, but the Eight Great Xuan Uses from back then were vivid in memory.

【Xuan Use Four: Grass and trees encountering warm spring, fish and dragons meeting wind and rain. Cleansing

evil cults, renewing appearance. Sixty-year accumulation, bringing the dead back to life.】

According to expectations, at that time revival would be possible. Whether willing or not, Jiao Long would once again sense the existence of affection, and know that Bai Yuan has not perished.

The Dragon Pearl's location is already clear.

Similarly, the West Turtle King said he needed a year to prepare, and the time has arrived. Heroes rise together.

The only one to guard against is the Whale Emperor.

【Ding Master: Liang Qu】

【Refined Ze Spirit: Water Ape Great Sage (Orange) (Fusion: 50%)】

【Water Ze Essence: Ninety-one thousand】

Three months left. Must find a chance to raise this thing up another level!

Netherworld blood treasures don't add essence.

Southern border has many water systems. Water-attribute treasures should be plentiful. Still need to let A Fei go to the Frog clan to invite Old Ha.

"Work work."

Liang Qu's fighting spirit burned fiercely. He jumped off the bedhead and wrote a report.

Long Eying rose fully clothed, holding a candlestick and leaning against the desk.

Gaze withdrawing from Eying's flat, smooth lower abdomen, Liang Qu's brush tip paused on the inkstone. He licked the ink.

"Subject Huai River Commandant Liang Qu respectfully petitions His Majesty for eternal peace—"

At the same time, on Great Snow Mountain, Ling Xuan wrote the same words.

"Chishan! Send to the capital!"

"Let's go back to the capital together!"

The next day.

Chishan turned into a gust of wind, heading north. The Heposuo team boarded the dock and headed west all the way.

"Awei! It's up to you!"

Awei opened and closed his mouthparts, unfurling golden wings.

Liang Qu lifted the blue centipede, tossed it upward. Golden light crisscrossed, vanishing without a trace.

"What did you send Awei to do?" Long Eying asked.

"Infiltrate the enemy."