Chapter 1295

"Thump—thump."

"Sea traveler, coldly tracing the waves, I pay my respects to His Highness the Prince of Huai and Her Highness the Princess Consort, respectfully wishing you a good afternoon." The merfolk bowed, retreated half a step, and spread their hands: "Recently, sea routes have been open, and merchant caravans have arrived bearing rare treasures from the four seas. I respectfully ask the two honored guests: is there anything I can assist you with?"

"Oh, you Eastern Sea merfolk—you actually recognize me, and you even speak the Huai-Jiang dialect?"

"Sea merchants travel south and north; it's inevitable to deal with aquatic creatures from different places. All regional dialects are things one ought to learn and cannot neglect. Though I am an Eastern Sea merfolk, I have been engaged in trade for thirty years. Though I may not be versed in every dialect, I do know a bit or two. Moreover, Your Highness may not remember, but five years ago, I was part of a merchant caravan that visited Pingyang in the Huai-Jiang plains, and I saw Your Highness there."

"I don't really remember."

"Noble people often forget things, or perhaps it's because different species are hard to distinguish at a glance. The Prince of Huai couldn't tell the difference among merfolk, and I find that when looking at humans, they often all seem to have the same face."

"Hahaha, that makes sense. Speaking of having visited Pingyang, back then we agreed to exchange goods—why haven't you sea merchants come to Huai-Jiang anymore?"

"Trading with the Great Shun, my king naturally wishes to do so, but Huai-Jiang is constantly in turmoil, the situation often chaotic. The Ape King and the Flood Long Wang are both beings of great divine power, outstanding among demon kings. We sea merchants believe in harmony bringing wealth, and fear implicating innocent fish, suffering heavy losses. We dare not risk temporary gain by re-entering the Huaijiang. If the Ape King succeeds in proving the Dao one day, my king will surely prepare generous gifts and personally visit Huai-Jiang to congratulate the Great King."

"Preparing generous gifts only after proving the Dao—what use would that be then?"

Hansu bowed deeply.

"Never mind, I won't make things difficult for a little merfolk like you. Let's talk again when I meet the Merfolk King another day. Today counts as meeting an old friend in a foreign land. That little coral behind you is not bad—hand it over so I can take a look. The third one on the left—yes, that one."

Leaning his upper body against the counter, his lower garments swaying with the current, drifting loosely. Liang Qu supported his arm on the counter, playing with the coral crafted into an ornament.

Beside him, Long Eying accompanied Madame Xu and a few others, Long Yao and Long Li selecting goods, while Otter Kai and the Monkey King carried bags.

Behind him, the old toad carried webbed feet, its toad eyes wandering, occasionally approaching a stall before leaving indifferently. Around them, youngsters like Warm Wen Wen Shi Yun and Han Containing Jade directed water spiders everywhere, scurrying about. Lu Gang picked at water-associated ore stones, Yang Dongxiong, Su Guishan, and Xu Yue Longdu were interested in this novel gathering, especially when they heard of a great medicinal elixir somewhere—they'd run over to take a look, broadening their horizons.

So many people like going to big cities simply because big cities offer more opportunities.

Likewise, the higher the merchant guild's standards, the better the goods one can obtain.

Once a year, paying homage to the Whale Emperor.

Within the Eastern Sea, demon kings who can find the time and face no major taboos are basically willing to attend. Since our demon king cannot attend, we must send subordinates in his place.

Constrained by the "Stone in the River," demon kings usually dare not move or meet casually. This rare opportunity sees the merchant guild, besides offerings, preparing additional goods as a platform for intermediate demon kings to exchange, gradually evolving into today's grand merchant assembly—far surpassing the trade to Pingyang in scale, truly a Great Flood Dragon Assembly!

Around the "Stone in the River" encircling the Cloud Heaven Palace, there are at least ten or more, and divine treasures are available for selection.

Bubbles rose slowly and silently.

The "Eye-Knowledge Method" constantly hosts gazes from all directions, and all demons are curious about the Prince of Huai's arrival.

The hostility of distant serpent demons was like needle pricks, but Liang Qu couldn't act, and he didn't mind a few great demons. Instead, two fish were furtively staring at him—whether hostile or not, it was unclear what they intended.

"Don't be so tense—this is the Cloud Heaven Palace. If anything happens, isn't that just slapping the Whale Emperor in the face?"

After playing with the coral for half a day, Liang Qu suddenly turned around and spoke to the martial hall disciples beside him.

Today everyone was excited, running around, except the martial hall disciples, who, having come to the Eastern Sea and found themselves in an unfamiliar underwater environment, couldn't help but look left and right, yet felt embarrassed to unleash their nature like Warm Wen Wen Shi Yun and the others. They couldn't follow Long Eying and the other ladies either, so they merely followed the familiar martial hall instructors, Xiang Xiang Zhangsong and Hu Qi, as stiff as stuffed geese.

"Go see what you want to see, buy what you like—each person has a quota of one hundred taels. Later, find the hedgehog for reimbursement. Anything over, you pay yourself. Or directly exchange for equivalent treasures with Otter Kai—sea merchants trade goods, not silver."

Bear Yiheng and a few others' eyes lit up, they stretched their necks, as if asking whether it was really true.

Liang Qu held the coral, too lazy to answer, and waved his hand.

The crowd cheered once and scattered.

Hansu witnessed it all, thinking Liang Qu so generous, this deal could succeed, and then saw Liang Qu turn his head.

"Lady, what do you think?"

Long Eying, holding Madame Xu's arm, said calmly: "We have far too many corals just like this at home, filling the pond. I don't like this one. If there were a larger one, perhaps I could consider it."

"Oh, that's a pity—can't be helped. You've seen it too—I like this item, but my lady doesn't, so put it back." Liang Qu set down the precious coral.

【Water Essence +2145】

【Water Essence: 6,840,000】

Madame Xu stared in surprise at Long Eying being so "firm"?

Hansu also wondered: the Prince of Huai clearly showed interest, yet gave up so readily over one sentence from his lady—indeed felt nothing unusual: "A virtuous couple, their gaze embraces the blue sea, their chest holds hills and valleys—such ordinary coral naturally fails to catch the eye."

"So—is there nothing better?"

"Yes, precious coral is more for display than medicinal use, mostly offered to the Whale Emperor. I brought some this time—if the Prince of Huai likes it, he may come take a look."

"Selling to me the coral offered to the Whale Emperor—isn't that a bit improper?" Liang Qu expressed surprise, puzzled that a merfolk would dare to trick him so.

"Prince of Huai, please don't worry." Hansu tidied the goods counter: "Merchant guilds are mostly like this—except for rare occasions when there's demand, the Whale Emperor doesn't care what is offered as tribute; it could be precious coral or something else. Sea merchants trade goods for goods. If the Prince of Huai likes it, after the exchange, the new item can be offered as tribute."

Liang Qu understood.

"Take me there."

"Certainly, Your Highness, please follow this path."

Water weeds swayed.

"This one?"

"No good."

【Water Essence +4512】

"That one."

"Don't want it."

【Water Essence +5578】

"Average."

【Water Essence +6741】

"Barely acceptable."

【Water Essence +13,364】

"I don't like it."

【Water Essence +348,060】

【Water Essence: 7,180,000】

The dead giant crab's shell lifted open, revealing dazzling precious coral within, filling the view. Hansu's anticipation faded bit by bit, his mind in a daze.

After touring two treasure vaults in succession, Liang Qu seemed to enjoy each one very much, rummaging through everything, but none of them sold a single item.

"Which one does the Lady think looks nice?"

"This one is not bad."

"Wrap it up, Otter Open!"

Han Su's spirits lifted.

Just looking without buying is unreasonable; Liang Qu picked and chose, feeling around for most of the day. Long Eying selected a relatively inexpensive, uniquely shaped treasure coral.

It's acceptable, and not too much of a loss.

A large air bubble hovered above its head; Otter Open swayed leisurely, rummaging through the cosmos bag to hand over the treasure fish.

Liang Qu leapt out of the giant crab's shell.

Before coming to the Eastern Sea, the Ze Ding contained six million eight hundred thousand essence; over two days' journey, six meals of treasure fish, Liang Qu alone ate over thirty treasure fish, half premium, half medium, premium ones over a thousand, medium ones in the hundreds, yielding a total of over thirty-seven thousand water essence, all of which paled in comparison to this current fortune.

Over three hundred thousand, one-third of the quota for a great demon's evolution.

However, the main event has not yet arrived.

Though Liang Qu currently lacks the courage to confront the Whale King directly, using the Whale King's name to gather demon kings for personal gain—he not only has the audacity, but it is considerable.

"Do you have Dragon Spirit Silk and Mermaid Tears?"

Gazing at the several saltbone knife fish in his hand, Han Su packed the coral; the spirit that had just risen vanished without trace, and he continually felt something was amiss.

After pondering for a long time, he categorized it as "much thunder, little rain."

Clearly a Martial Saint, a majestic Flood Dragon, yet when shopping he was picky and dissatisfied, still expecting a major client; few Merfolk spoke Jianghuai dialect, and Han Su felt the disappointment of having trained diligently without reaping due reward.

Suppressing his thoughts from showing on his face, he slightly composed himself and Han Su asked: "These two items are indeed available; Mermaid Tears are scarce, but Dragon Spirit Silk is plentiful—I do not know how much my lord requires?"

"I will also pick out some Mermaid Tears; as for Dragon Spirit Silk—"

Indeed—

Han Su had already begun to consider whether this accompanying trip would prove profitable.

"Dragon Spirit Silk—" Liang Qu spread his palm, gripping from little finger to thumb, "I want them all!"

"All of them?" Han Su exclaimed in astonishment, "Your Highness, by human reckoning, that is over a hundred bolts; Dragon Spirit Silk is not cheap—before your invention of cloth-shadow, it fetched fifty thousand per bolt in Pingyang; since then, prices have risen to eighty or ninety thousand, even approaching one hundred thousand per bolt."

"Oh, you're quite well-informed, aren't you? But even if it's over a thousand bolts, as long as the price is offered sincerely, I will accept."

Han Su restrained his surprise, then added cautiously: "Your Highness, we sea merchants do not accept silver money."

"Understood; I have prepared Jianghuai treasure fish and treasure plants—Otter Open!"

Otter Open stepped out with its splayed feet, patted the pouch at its waist, and hooked its claws.

It tightened its waistband; the old toad, seeing this, let out a long sigh.

【Water Essence+2500】

【Water Essence+2541】

【Water Essence+2478】

Merfolk shuttled back and forth, bolt after bolt of Dragon Spirit Silk falling to the ground, neatly stacked.

For each bolt, Otter Open made a payment and took one bolt.

Han Su wore a smile across his face.

Ko Wenbin and Fang Su clicked their tongues in amazement: "Seventy-five thousand per bolt—over a hundred bolts, converted to silver, that's ten million, right? Truly filthy rich!"

"Still, one needs one's own industry and fief to make money quickly."

"Elder Brother Xu, didn't you also buy a bolt of Dragon Spirit Silk at the auction back then?"

"I sold it long ago." Xu Yuelong stroked his own collar, "Back then I was greedy-eyed, seeing Ashui's clothes change daily without repetition, the white fish on the official robe even swimming on its own; I bought it for fifty-eight thousand, but after cloth-shadow emerged, the price rose to seventy thousand and I sold it; now I even regret it a little—if only I had known to wait two more years, until Ashui was enfeoffed as king and granted land, making it like today, then sold it—I recall the peak price nearly reached one hundred thousand per bolt, doubling would have been possible."

"What a loss! Such a loss!"

Xu Zeshuai beat his chest and stamped his feet; earlier, during the festival, Ashui said he could stockpile, but alas, the entry cost was too high—one bolt couldn't be had for less than fifty thousand; had I known, I would have smashed my pot, sold my iron, borrowed money to do it anyway—yet only Senior Brother Lu and his wife profited in the end.

"I feel it can still rise; buying now is not too late." Xiang Changsheng said.

Xu Zeshuai hesitated: "Cloth-shadow is only popular here with Ashui; elsewhere, they only have Dragon Spirit Silk but no footage; if Ashui releases these over a hundred bolts, what if the price crashes?"

Quan Linghan has been gathering Merfolk all along; to this day, he remains the leader of a major tribe of over thirty thousand Merfolk, yet Dragon Spirit Silk production remains limited—producing one bolt every two years is already strained; to date, only over ten bolts exist, and during grand festivals, the Mirage Clan and theater must balance their usage.

Others buy a garment; Liang Qu buys, and they are all egg-laying old hens, vastly expanding the capacity of his domain's theater.

Gazing at the Dragon Spirit Silk, fingering the Mermaid Tears, Liang Qu appeared to be selecting, but in reality was extensively plundering water essence.

Water beasts require water essence—no doubt about it. After the Water Ape Great Sage advances, will he still need water essence? Liang Qu is not certain, but without question, it is better to be prepared.

If he still needs essence after advancement, it is very likely not a single ascent to the supreme furnace—extremely dangerous, necessitating prior storage of a large sum as a precaution.

Blue Tide rose step by step; Liang Qu could not help but grin.

This is not yet the limit.

Water beasts do not cherish jewelry as humans do; the amount brought on this trip is not much.

"We must devise a method, contrive a pretext, to gather all the Mermaid Tears from under heaven—"

"Does Xiao Shitou like He Han Yu?" Long Eying suddenly leaned close to his ear, pointing far away.

"Does he?"

"Yes."

Liang Qu's ears itched; he turned to glance at the small group gathered around the Warm Wen Wen Shi Yun: "Does he like her? Perhaps he has a bit of fondness, though it's hard to say he truly likes her."

"Before, it was pure fondness, but I feel it has recently become liking—look at how often he gazes at He Han Yu, clearly more than others. His classmates are not just one girl; there's also that girl called Fang Yanling, yet he pays her no heed."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, you used to often sneak glances at me; the 'Eye Recognition Method'—one glance and you're spot-on; when you met my gaze, you still felt embarrassed, pretending you had just glanced over; at first I truly believed it, but later, after asking Yanrui and Binglin, I learned you were merely looking at me more often."

Liang Qu held back: "Where did that come from?"

"You're denying it again?"

"When did I acknowledge it?"

"Right before I went into seclusion I asked you, asked if you were peeking at me, and you tacitly admitted it, didn't you?"

"That was a silent denial!"

"Go find Yanrui to confront her? Reminder: you didn't just teach the Eye Identification Technique."

Clatter clatter.

After fondling the mermaid tears, Liang Qu handed the pouch to Eying: "Pick two you like and keep them, I have some business to attend to."

"Those two skates?"

"Right, didn't go looking for them, instead came to me first, let's see what's what."

Long Eying didn't ask further, selecting nicely shaped mermaid tears for herself — perfect to give to the Xu clan, her senior sister. Oh, now there's an extra He Hanyu.

""

At the caravan's edge, yaoguai were sparse.

Two skates hid in the seaweed thickets, whispering privately, one with a scar, one missing half its tail, whispering privately, discussing how to avoid notice and hand the goods over to the Huai King, when suddenly the scarred skate noticed the Huai King beside Long Lingxiao had vanished, nowhere to be found nearby.

"I've had my eye on you two for a while, sneaking about, quite bold, daring to tail me?"

The abrupt voice rang by their ears; the two skates jumped in fright, trembling from head to tail tip, splashing water, the two fish hurriedly turned back, prostrating flat on the ground.

"Respected, great Huai King!"

"Oh, you speak Jianghuai dialect too?"

"Hehe, sea merchants travel north and south, can't avoid dealing with water beasts from different places, all local dialects are required learning————"

"Enough, enough, were you sea merchants uniformly trained in rhetoric? Answer what's asked, why are you staring at me? Assassination?" Liang Qu sat on a rock.

"Wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare!" The two skates' souls nearly fled, tails trembling uncontrollably, the left one with a diagonal white scar hurriedly swam half a body length forward, "Respected Highness, I have a knife scar, name is Bian Ye, the short-tailed one beside me is Bian Mu."

"Messy, can't be bothered to remember, your tail's short, call you Short Tail————you've got a scar, call you Scar Face————no, that name's taken, call you Scar Head————no, that's taken too, fine, you're just Got A Scar."

""

Bian Ye and Bian Mu swallowed the breath stuck in their throats, forced it down, repeatedly agreeing.

"Huai King bestowing names is our two fish's honor, today we come on the Great King's orders to apologize to Huai King Highness and Ape King Highness."

Liang Qu froze: "Which Great King? The Skate King?"

"Exactly, exactly." Bian Ye nodded repeatedly, "Our Great King took over the Sea Abyss Palace, though he injured the Hai Fangzhu and beat her subordinate octopus, but that's all fish in the jianghu, forced by circumstances."

Bian Mu flicked his tail: "Right, it was all the Mermaid King's instigation, forcing our Great King to take a stand, our Great King has always felt guilty, wanted a chance to apologize, heaven-sent good match, pfft, heaven-sent good opportunity, you came to Cloud Heaven Palace."

Bian Ye pressed his left and right fleshy fins together, clamping a wooden box and offering it up: "This Creation Great Medicine is for you, Huai King, though only low-grade, it's our King's sincerity, wishing Huai King and Hai Fangzhu a thousand years of harmony, early birth of a noble son————"

Liang Qu: "?"

"Idiot, misspoke, misspoke, those were my lines, and it's not the Huai King." Bian Mu's short tail flicked Bian Ye's long tail.

Bian Ye froze, hastily correcting: "Sorry sorry, wishing Huai King martial progress, early attainment of the Dao and immortality!"

Bian Mu also presented another treasure box: "This is for the Ape King, please have Huai King pass it on, wishing Ape King and Hai Fangzhu a thousand years of harmony, early birth of a noble son."

Liang Qu: "?"

One doesn't strike a smiling fish, especially when both hands hold treasure boxes, truly no hand free to strike.

"Strange————"

Liang Qu puzzled, the Skate King upon taking over the Sea Abyss Palace spread rumors and attacked the octopus clan, the very picture of a small fish getting cocky, submitting a letter of allegiance, yet inexplicably sending two precious medicines, Creation Great Medicines at that, even low-grade that's considerable investment, all at once the portrait of the other's character and personality blurred.

Same time.

On the Flood Long Wang's orders, the great snake coming to audience the Whale Emperor was likewise intercepted by two skates.

"Respected great snake!"

Black Hui startled: "Huh, what fish are you, actually speaking Jianghuai dialect?"

"Hehe, sea merchants travel north and south, can't avoid dealing with water beasts from different places, all local dialects are required learning————"

Liang Qu silent for a long while, fingertip tracing the green-blue patterns on the treasure box, light shimmering, like wiping a sword.

Bian Ye and Bian Mu rubbed their fleshy fins, looking at each other, hearts uneasy.

"Huai King————you look at this————"

"Know about the East Sea Grand Hunt?" Liang Qu suddenly spoke.

"Know, know, in three more years the Grand Hunt convenes, no fish doesn't know, no fish hasn't heard."

"Then know what I'm here for?"

"Hmm, heard Huai King you're the founder, must be related to the Grand Hunt?"

"Smart." Liang Qu stacked the two boxes, freeing one hand, pressed it to his forehead, "Invited by the Whale Emperor to add splendor to the Grand Hunt, now I've thought of a method, want to add some variables to the competition, bury some treasures, score based on how many treasures obtained representing certain merits and demerits, but what to use as the treasures is a real headache."

"Use Creation Great Medicine?" Bian Ye said.

"Stupid! Representing treasure, definitely not real treasure." Bian Mu waved a fleshy fin, flipping Bian Ye a somersault, continued, "Should be something rare that represents the East Sea or Whale Emperor? But not directly medicine?"

"Smart! Truly smart! Just a marker, like the feather on a chicken-feather dispatch." Liang Qu snapped his fingers, "Must represent the East Sea, and this item must be small, not easily found, easy to carry, a bag can hold a pile, itself must have some value, can't be a rock, my head hurts, you skates live in the East Sea year-round, you say, what could it be?"

The two skates racked their brains.

Suddenly.

Mermaids swimming in the distance, Bian Ye had a flash of inspiration.

"Mermaid tears?"

"Snap!" Liang Qu snapped his fingers again, "Good idea! You're really smart! Smart to the point of utter rot, East Sea moon bright pearls have tears, Lantian sun warm jade gives off smoke. Mermaid tears best represent the East Sea, small and pretty, most key is what?"

"What is it?"

"Advertising!" Liang Qu hated iron not becoming steel, "Imagine, East Sea Grand Hunt, Whale Emperor hosting, how magnificent, how grand, how many big shots will attend, bring out mermaid tears, isn't that a walking advertisement broadcasting far and wide? Ask where mermaids are most numerous?"

"Us————sea merchants?"

"Exactly! Everyone in the world, beasts, instantly know you sea merchants, how great, the Martial Saint you support grabs a mermaid tear, people cheer, the hated demon archer grabs one, people hate, emotions all follow the mermaid tear representing sea merchants, no, not just that."

"Anything else?"

"Let the Whale King Giant Fish remember you, value you! Imagine, the Whale King Giant Fish values the Great Hunt so much, and you sea merchants play an important role in it—"

"Good, good, good." Pian Ye and Pian Mu's eyes lit up, excitedly wandering, "Huai Gong truly bears no grudge, actually helping us sea merchants advertise!"

"For free?"

Liang Qu waved the hand that had become free.

"Eh————"

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