Chapter 1287

In mid-September in Yuzhou, even at high noon there was a touch of coolness; the sun had just risen, morning clouds spread across the sky, and after a night of darkness, the chill was thorough.

Yet at this very moment, the seasons reversed, and scorching heat descended!

The door opened, the morning sun slanted in, the room was dim, the forms of dragon and tiger faintly intertwined, a roar rang out, a surging wave of dry, hot air rushed straight out from the narrow exit, the hot wind blasted full in the face, the violent alternation of cold and heat, heat rising and cold sinking, swiftly whipped up a great wind.

The long wind howled.

The watermelon was overturned; Da He Li clamped its mouth around the spoon to protect the melon heart flesh; the dragon men, clerks, alchemists, and Martial Hall disciples stood on the deck, their clothes flapping and shaking. Si Nan's ponytail fluttered; even the river otter and Jin Mao monkey had the hair on their heads blown up, unable to open their eyes; the entire treasure ship moved north at high speed.

"Click."

The anchor chain was dragged from the water, pulled taut and straight, shaking up a fine mist of water.

The Monkey King shouted and leapt out, grabbing the trembling, contracting halyard in midair, swinging hard, sinking rapidly to furl the sail.

It did not end there; clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger, the hot air rose to the heavens; the Yellow Sand River was already full of water vapor, and in the alternation, the air pressure plummeted, chests felt stifled————

Torrential rain poured down!

Moments ago the sky was clear for ten thousand miles, the morning clouds just rising; in the blink of an eye, leaden-gray clouds covered the clear sky, thick water mist shrouded the river surface, the sky was dense with rain threads, blown by the wind to slant downward.

The Martial Hall apprentices panicked, raising their hands to block the rain, completely forgetting whose ship they were on.

Liang Qu raised a hand and wiped.

The raindrops falling halfway froze in midair, the water beads perfectly round, flashing with the light of the sky; then he spread his two hands left and right, like parting a bead curtain, the rain threads filling the sky split into two halves, flowing into the Yellow Sand River.

Crash————

Dense splashes blossomed on the river surface, big fish poked their heads out to breathe.

The Yellow Sand River was a vast white expanse; not a drop of rain touched the deck.

Within was natural true fire, the furnace blazing red inside.

The alchemists present were all awestruck.

The heat wave surging from the quiet room still baked them; disciples with lower cultivation were already steaming with sweat; merely emerging from seclusion, the alternation of cold and heat had actually triggered a downpour, simply as if the blazing sun had descended right before their faces, making one doubt whether this year's Bing Fire days had truly passed.

From the treasured spirit medicines selected for the pills, all were things that grow the root sea, showing that the King of Huai was going all out to assault the Thousandfold Method; yet the mere aftereffects carried such momentum — how many folds had he broken through? Could it be five hundred? Was the Six Extremes Theory of Master Fu Shuo remarkably effective, the pill formula compiled wondrously unique? Or was the King of Huai exceptionally gifted?

"Soaring straight to the blue clouds yet descending again, a pair of golden claws gathering flower down." Fu Shuo cupped his hands in congratulation, "Congratulations to the King of Huai on emerging from seclusion!

A further step forward."

One sentence woke the dreamers.

No matter how astonished or bewildered their hearts, at this very moment everyone suppressed their emotions, suppressed their shock; Zhao Yaozuo along with all the Grand Alchemists bowed deeply, chanting in unison.

"Congratulations to the King of Huai on emerging from seclusion! A further step forward!"

"Congratulations to the King of Huai!"

"Congratulations, Elder!"

"Congratulations, Master!"

"Hahaha, employing the jade furnace's fire timing, refining true gold in the cauldron; if not for the various masters and teachers making pills, bitterly enduring for months, where would today's joy come from? It is your merit, shared joy! Shared joy indeed!" Liang Qu laughed to the heavens, "Pingjiang, Pinghe."

"Elder." Long Pingjiang and Long Pinghe, the brothers, stepped forward.

"Fetch my Huaijiang specialty treasure fish, the Yellow Sand River's Treasure Items, the East Sea's treasures; today we hold a banquet, to feast all the alchemists!

"

"As you command!"

"King of Huai————"

Fu Shuo was about to speak; Liang Qu raised a hand to stop him: "Master Fu, I know you all have not come for my increase in strength, and I know what you seek; only this place is not convenient for detailed talk; before the banquet, why not move aside to speak in detail?"

"It was my oversight; please!"

"Please."

Whoosh.

Whether they truly wanted to learn or were assigned tasks by the imperial court, the alchemists had stayed on the Yellow Sand River long enough, and were already impatient; at once more than half departed, the place suddenly appearing spacious; Wen Wen Shi Yun poked her head around and also squeezed in with the crowd.

The Martial Hall disciples lay on the ship's rail, watching the torrential rain falling on the Yellow Sand River, unable to contain their excitement.

Someone couldn't help reaching out to catch the rain, as if they could further experience the profound mystery within, and stain themselves with a bit of good fortune.

"A real man should be like this! Summoning wind and calling rain! Truly awesome!"

"What difference is there between this and an immortal?"

"It is an immortal!"

"Four Passes Seven Roads, from the Four Passes onward — Galloping Horse, Beacon Smoke, Hunting Tiger, Entering Zhen Xiang, Perishing Dragon———— You say, how high must a person cultivate in a lifetime to count as high? Above there are still the legendary Furnace and Transforming Rainbow; just Martial Hall's Senior Brother Xu alone I can't figure out, and looking at the King of Huai, even more incomprehensible." Zhang Lingchi sighed.

"Anyway my requirements aren't high; reaching Beacon Smoke before forty is enough; by then I won't be too old, I'll have refined True Gang, plucking flowers and picking leaves, convenient for everything, and lifespan-wise not much different from Hunting Tiger; maybe I can stay in the Martial Hall as an instructor." Qiao Bai shook the accumulated water from his palm.

"Hmph, no ambition; the two of you could board the King of Huai's ship, although it was because you saved the Jiao people, but being able to board means your futures definitely won't be ordinary; at the very least you'll be a Hunting Tiger Grand Martial Master!" Xiong Yiheng crossed his arms.

Zhang Lingchi and Qiao Bai's hearts stirred: "Senior Brother Xiong, really? Can we Hunt Tiger?"

The Huaiyin Martial Hall gets new disciples every year; counting previous years, there are probably already over ten thousand, no lack of exceptionally gifted ones, even those born with martial bones!

By rights, talents of this caliber are mostly taken as personal disciples by masters early on, just like the few in Pingyang Prefecture — Liang Qu, Guan Congjian, Qi Hongyuan — most are like this; but this year there just happened to be a born-with-martial-bones student enrolled, causing an uproar.

Yet even so, Xiong Yiheng, Du Hanwen, and Jin Xiaoyu are a very unique tier; it has nothing to do with realm, only with life experiences; they have seen the Sage Emperor, often follow Liang Qu out, and possess full credibility, their word is law.

Hunting Tiger.

Looking across the prefectural city, they are all top-tier big shots, even able to serve as the King of Huai's close guards, like those tall and mighty dragon men; if lucky, getting on good terms with the dragon brothers, and their family happens to have a sister————

Hehehe.

Pity, is that really a realm people like them can consider?

"Of course!" Xiong Yiheng stated with certainty, extending five fingers, gripping them tight; "Never mind the rest, just the food and drink on this ship are better than the highest tuition tier at the martial academy, and we can receive Otter Master's guidance and spar with Senior Brother Wen; this point alone makes it impossible to be worse! Do you know Chen Shun?"

"Know him, seems to be the King of Huai's neighbor's kid? All brought by Senior Brother Fan."

"Right, his dad a fisherman-farmer, is about to pass the Blood Pass into Galloping Horse; it's just that Chen Shun doesn't like to come out and run around, otherwise he'd be living next door to you; look at Huo Qing, a hunter's son, who would've thought he could reach Galloping Horse?"

Huo Qing scratched his head: "Good luck back then, as a hunter I'd seen blood, killed two more mountain ghosts; luckily Hanwen Ge pulled me along."

"Old news. Without you we still wouldn't have made the top three, and we've still got a banquet to host later." Du Hanwen added, "Not just fishermen and hunters — even Yi Zhiyu who came over to our side works. As long as you keep pace with Senior Brother Liang's steps, every one of us has a chance."

"Right, still got a banquet to host, hurry up and prepare! Good thing I didn't eat breakfast this morning."

Zhang Lingchi and Qiao Bochu had just arrived and felt a bit awkward: "Is this really okay?"

"What's not okay about it? Senior Brother Liang doesn't care about this little bit. Don't look so far ahead, don't think so much. Senior Brother Liang is destined to be a towering figure; we're just small fry. Back when Senior Brother Liang was at Hanging Temple, he even left the character 'xing'————"

"Go to the dock and get some fries!"

"Right right right, how about it, get some?"

"Get them!"

Tea leaves swirled, foam spiraled.

The Golden-Haired Monkey King walked with splayed feet, carrying the teapot forward to pour tea.

The top-floor room was much cooler than on the deck, but Liang Qu's body still radiated residual heat, like a sword blank just taken from the furnace after forging, its high temperature pressing on everyone.

Fu Shuo cut straight to the chase: "May I ask, Your Highness the Prince of Huai, exactly how many times did your root sea grow during this cultivation session?"

Everyone's eyes burned with intensity, notebooks in hand, watching Liang Qu hold his cup and drink tea, unhurried and calm, itching to rush up and press the teacup down.

Liang Qu knew everyone was anxious: "During this seclusion, my root sea grew one hundred twenty-six times."

Creak.

Chair legs scraped.

"One hundred twenty-six times?" An alchemist stood up.

"Correct."

One hundred twenty-six times, absolutely true. Although the alchemists had mentally prepared themselves, hearing this number still left them stunned into breathless silence.

An ordinary yao dragon might not even grow its root sea by one times in a year; a low-grade creation elixir specifically for impacting the root sea is considered good if it achieves five times.

One pill increased the root sea by over a hundred!

Six furnaces refined simultaneously — in the history of alchemy, this is a heavenly elixir worthy of being inscribed on a monument.

To refine just one such pill in a lifetime would be enough to sustain oneself for a lifetime, to establish an alchemy clan of extraordinary status!

"Congratulations, Master Fu! Felicitations, Master Fu!" Someone offered congratulations early.

"This alchemy session was a tremendous success."

"Everyone needn't be like this. This pill succeeded thanks to everyone's joint effort, joint study, joint progress. Besides, the numbers don't match — I dare not claim the credit."

Fu Shuo raised a hand to stop them. Although he was indeed excited, his face flushed red with excitement. Refining a mature heavenly elixir was equivalent to adding a volume to his own alchemy level — the more heavenly elixirs, the thicker the volume, the higher the peak. "?"

"That's right, one moment of sudden enlightenment."

"This makes it hard to record properly."

Fellow top alchemist Tu Song frowned. He had also participated in this alchemy session and could also vouch for it. Everyone putting their names to it jointly naturally required authenticity; otherwise no one would believe it when word got out. You say all one hundred times were medicinal efficacy — where's the evidence?

Sudden enlightenment occurring simultaneously with swallowing the pill — this probability is truly too small, so small they never even considered it.

Sudden enlightenment mostly occurs under certain specific scenarios, inadvertently setting one's thoughts in motion. Taking medicine is already a serious matter; the scenario is even more ordinary.

Who cultivates without taking medicine? How could sudden enlightenment happen then?

Couldn't you have changed the time and place? Did it have to be when taking the new formula?

"Sudden enlightenment is a good thing after all. Since things have come to this, we can only try to make up for it. I wonder if the Prince of Huai has any more specific sensations, a specific chart of the medicinal efficacy changes, and his own change curve after the sudden enlightenment." Fu Shuo handed over a "coordinate axis" — horizontal axis time, vertical axis root sea growth, starting from the day of ingestion.

If the sudden enlightenment and taking the medicine weren't at the same time, then from the diminishing curve one can still infer, though with deviation, at least a baseline.

"I have some impression." Liang Qu took the paper and brush. "I used to have a similar habit before — investigating which hour each day, whether taking it on an empty stomach or full stomach worked better. Later my realm rose and I found there wasn't much difference, so I stopped being particular about it."

"Oh?"

The alchemists' eyes brightened. They hadn't expected a mere martial man to have this kind of mind. Each stretched their necks, watching Liang Qu record a fluctuating curve from memory.

"Wait, how come there are two growth points? Does this medicine still have a delayed kick?"

"With Tianheng Water added, how could there be a delayed kick?"

Liang Qu drew and explained: "Because the cultivation method I practice is called the 'Wansheng Baoyuan'————"

"I've heard of it. Seems it was given to the imperial court by Louguantai?"

"Correct. This master has good insight. This method has a realm called 'Gang Lian'. Once triggered, it can help one return to the innate, make up for one's deficiencies. What I had sudden enlightenment about was precisely the method aspect, triggering this realm once more, so there was further growth after the sudden enlightenment."

"Hiss!"

A collective sharp intake of breath.

Although they also wanted to gasp at this moment, they hadn't gasped yet — the alchemists who had been beaten to the gasp had their emotions interrupted and turned sideways in puzzlement: "Whose kid is this?"

"Cough, sorry, my disciple."

"Oh, no wonder such a fine figure — truly heroic and extraordinary!"

"Who let you in? Get out!" Liang Qu glared at Wen Wen Shi Yun.

The conversation continued.

"This old man has an impression. Not long ago — no, not that long, seven or eight years ago — the Eight-Armed King's wrist-foot was refined by this old man. At the time it seemed to be the same situation, at Jishuitan."

Liang Qu was surprised: "Exactly so! That time the medicinal properties were also special, triggering Gang Lian. This senior is————

"

"Yuan Jingci."

"Many thanks to Senior Yuan for refining the pill that day."

Everyone understood.

So he's a "repeat offender."

Instantly, the alchemists' "evaluation" of the Prince of Huai plummeted.

They originally thought he was a promising seedling who frequently earned merit, young and willing to take risks, bold and daring, providing creation elixirs and helping verify formulas. Turns out it's sudden enlightenment again, returning to the innate again — far too unstable, always throwing in irrelevant variables.

A bit disappointing.

Liang Qu always felt that the enthusiasm of this group of pill masters toward him had suddenly diminished a lot, leaving him somewhat puzzled; he earnestly marked the last two dots.

"It's done."

"Let me see, let me see."

"Don't rush, let Master Fu go first."

Fu Shuo took over the atlas, calculated the decline curve, and inferred the true efficacy of the heavenly pill.

The other pill masters also studied individually, progressing step by step; at a glance, they felt as if they had obtained a supreme treasure.

"The chart can be used!"

"No matter what, the growth is too great; a hundredfold efficacy is unavoidable."

"Good, good!"

Pill refining is a craft that emphasizes practice; it cannot rely solely on guesswork to produce a heavenly pill with full potency. Each creation of the great elixir "miscellaneous stew" is a tremendous supplement to one's pill-refining experience!

It is not necessarily required to refine an identical pill from scratch; rather, it is about completing the collection of medicinal properties from various great elixirs, verifying the reaction results of colliding medicinal properties, and drawing analogies.

This time is clearly a good opportunity: first theorize, then obtain data, refine the theory, and cycle repeatedly—only thus can the pill Dao advance.

The pill masters remained in the room to discuss and study, the academic atmosphere thick.

Liang Qu returned alone to the quiet chamber, sealed off internal and external sounds, confirmed no one was present, then could not help but burst into loud laughter.

Four hundred forty-six, this is Liang Qu's number before his breakthrough.

Five hundred seventy-two, this is Liang Qu's number after his breakthrough!

One month!

Ze Ling's reciprocation caused the root sea to naturally grow two to three times; thereafter, the dual influence of sudden enlightenment and gang refinement allowed this "Tenfold Great Supplement Pill" to reach unprecedented astonishing effects!

One hundred twenty-six times.

Only two and a half root sea heavenly pills could achieve such an effect!

The task of a thousandfold root sea has already been completed over half!

Clenching his fist, Liang Qu felt heaven and earth in his grasp; every movement, without needing divine powers, could trigger violent tremors of heaven and earth.

If the divine power stage is quality, then the root sea is quantity.

The broader the root sea, the broader the momentum of heaven and earth, the greater the divine power's boundlessness, as if there were an invisible "field"; the field's pressure could make everything of the enemy appear tiny and weak, even if they possessed quality, they could not unleash it!

Approaching six hundred times, a vast root sea that even high-ranking martial sages lack; upon reaching the southern borders, without needing the lingering resonance of the tenth-layer flood-dragon slayer, Liang Qu also had confidence in piercing and killing a third-rank withered bone with a single spear!

A root sea difference of multiples, even up to tenfold, compared to the gap of one realm, is even more like a chasm!

Liang Qu felt he had returned to the comfortable zone he had when entering Zhen Xiang.

And his gains far exceeded mere root sea growth.

The "Wansheng Baoyuan" and the "Subduing Dragon and Taming Tiger Diamond Sutra" completely merged, converging into Liang Qu's exclusive cultivation method, discarding the dross and retaining the essence.

Furthermore, relying on medicinal pills, he additionally obtained six million plus of water marsh essence, rising to seven million five hundred sixty thousand!

This unprecedented essence growth is comparable to the harvest of the Dragon Palace's dragon pearl.

If not for the ruling's demand, the current Liang Qu, by accumulating a bit here and there, could gather ten million and even be able to enlighten a demon king!

【Cauldron Master: Liang Qu】

【Refining Ze Ling: Water Monkey Great Sage (Deep Orange)】

【Ze Ling's Favor: Seventeenth Layer of Martial Dao Penetrating Divinity (River Lord Emperor); Yinglong Pattern: Ten Layers; Shuiwu Yu Pattern:

Two Layers】

【Water Marsh Essence: Seven Million Five Hundred Sixty Thousand】

Explosive harvest, leapfrog progress.

Thus far.

Unparalleled merit refined in one go, dragon seed aura, heaven and earth's enduring qi all exhausted, the resources at hand entirely converted into strength growth.

Refreshing and exhilarating!

"What should the new cultivation method be called?"

Inner vision of the self.

The signature dragon and tiger two qi roaring and surging of the "Subduing Dragon and Taming Tiger Diamond Sutra" filled the room, transforming into rivers, lakes, and seas; compared to the dragon and tiger, it was more vast! More enduring!

The enhancement from the cultivation method fusion was tremendous.

Internally containing the abyss of myriad victories, externally displaying the majesty of diamond.

Aside from other matters, previously only the "Wansheng Baoyuan" could self-circulate throughout the twelve hours; now, the entire system can self-operate! Prior to Ze Ling's reciprocation, one month could only increase twofold; now, before the two reach equilibrium, it will inevitably increase threefold or more!

From the method of opening apertures by galloping horses, to the meridian connection of wolf smoke, then to tiger hunting and entering Zhen Xiang, all have been altered.

Liang Qu could clearly feel that the cultivation method's change was comprehensively reciprocating his past path, the nine apertures, thirty-six meridians, three-story tower, dragon court immortal isle, and even the Golden Body, aided by the gang refinement method in "Wansheng Baoyuan," being reshaped and deepening the foundation!

After this gang refinement is fully absorbed, it will inevitably increase the root sea even further!

"《Dragon Tiger Return to Origin》? 《Profound Yellow Diamond Skill》? 《Jianghe True Form》? The names of cultivation method realms also need to be changed—"

In the quiet chamber, excitement lingered for a while; Liang Qu selected several names, eagerly letting Long Eying serve as reference.

"Why not call it the 《Huaiwang Classic》?" Long Eying asked.

"《Huaiwang Classic》?" Liang Qu scratched his head, "Wouldn't the name be too grand?"

"My lord underestimates himself; not small at all, a Yinglong martial sage, placed anywhere can establish a sect and found a school, doing anything is a major affair; even if you merely slightly revised a single edition, the Suspended Temple would also need to present a standalone version like the 《Huaiwang Annotation》.

Moreover, today is precisely all of it; in the future, additions and revisions will inevitably be needed; rather than waiting until the time comes when everything is unrecognizable, it is better to begin with a complete transformation."

"9

"That makes sense—"

Liang Qu rubbed his chin.

"Little Stone, you have practiced martial arts for some time; today, as your master, I formally transmit to you the cultivation method; this method is forged from my entire enlightenment, a lifetime of martial Dao, heavenly wisdom, and peerless talent, woven into one!"

Wen Wen Shi Yun's eyes gleamed: "Dare I ask, Master, what cultivation method is this?"

"The Huai King Sutra!"

The Great Shun governed Shahe with mighty force.

"Could it be they truly intend to turn the Great Shun into the Yellow Shahe?"

—