Chapter 1314: Reincarnation Seal (Seeking Monthly Votes Mid-Month, Combined Edition)

"Jiaolong, True Monarch Ben can defeat you in the Jianghuai, then he can kill you in the East Sea! Whale Emperor? He can't stop you! And you, Ironhead Fish, come and give up your life! Even if you go to the underworld, you'll still have to be an ox and a horse. Hmph, even in death, you must die together. Truly a pair of ill-fated lovebirds."

"Old Yin Whale, your time of death has come! Today I, the first Rainbow Ascendant True Monarch under heaven, will act on heaven's behalf and eliminate you, this scourge! Let me perform for everyone an iron pot stewed cloud whale!"

"Uncle, don't use your hands to pull at it, it's so dirty. Everyone hasn't eaten from a smelting furnace before, I know you're anxious, but don't rush yet, the soy sauce hasn't been poured, what? Boiled and dipped in seasoning is fine too, what is Senior Brother Xu doing, doesn't he know the rules, master and mistress eat first! Then cut another piece for Chen Shu to taste, has the master arrived?"

"Very well, in this battle, all of you have merit, clouds in the sky, water in the bottle, all are loyal ministers, there are no traitors! Fierce Tooth General, you have merit in catching fish, take the fish head, I will enfeoff you as King of the East Sea; unable to move, you have merit in assistance, take the fish tail, I will enfeoff you as King of the South Sea; Third Prince, you have attended before and after the horse, for the Lord of the Clouds; Awei, you went undercover————hahaha, the Five Lakes and Four Seas, mine, all mine!

Eying as Empress, Hai Fangzhu as Imperial Merchant————"

"Fei Taiyu, Wu Lingxu! Just you two want to take Laozi to replenish the Blood River, right? I'll let you replenish, let you replenish, come here, put on the horse's bit, and pull the cart for this True Monarch! Pull fast and steady, still not losing the position of a servant!"

"Wake up quickly, wake up quickly, Huaiwang, something serious has happened! Disaster has struck!"

Hmm?

The body swayed left and right, Liang Qu had people shake him awake forcefully.

Opened the eyes.

The bed frame came into view, the curtain drapes hung down, beside was a face full of anxiety from Sinan.

Damn!

Turns out it was a dream, a false joy.

After finishing affairs in the Blood River Realm, returning, I continued to be an ox and a horse managing the river on the Yellow Shahe.

Rubbing the sweaty forehead, Liang Qu sat up: "What's the matter, so urgent and flustered? Even if the sky collapses, I, the king, will bear it."

"I can't bear it." Sinan's eyes were red and swollen, "Huaiwang has repeatedly asked for leave, the Yellow Shahe river works are half-done, this year's heavy rains broke the dikes, flooding two capitals and eighteen provinces, deaths and injuries in the millions of millions, Your Majesty wants to punish Huaiwang, this is a capital offense, we can't escape death!"

"What, capital punishment!"

Above the firmament, thunder flashed.

Liang Qu suddenly opened his eyes.

The back was sticky, the sheet clung to the body, accompanied by his slight movement, it quickly detached from the skin, a body of cold sweat rapidly evaporated, the bed frame came into view.

Damn.

Dream within a dream!

"Hah!"

A false alarm.

Letting out a breath, Liang Qu spread out large, the room was quiet and still, even quiet to an excessive degree, outside the room or accompanied by a faint "susu" sound.

Snowing?

Yes, snowing in winter is not unusual, after the Wu Sheng's great battle, there is often heavy rain, the heavenly gang giants of ten thousand zhang rubbing the air can produce astonishing high heat, causing hot air to rise, cold in the high altitudes turns it to water, during the great battle it couldn't fall, after the great battle it all surges forth at once.

No severe headache in the head, rest was decent, however the spirit had not fully recovered, quite fatigued, he stared blankly at the bed frame, pupils unfocused, the field of vision blurred into a haze, after the Nanjiang and Beiting great battle, it's always like this, Liang Qu has already grown accustomed to————

On snowy or rainy days, no animal comes out to hunt, the subconscious sense of safety makes people feel unprecedentedly at ease, not needing to go out to work and rush about.

Wait, not right!

"Damn, I'm late!"

Liang Qu sat up abruptly, suddenly realizing why he had this dream.

Returning from the East Sea already in the first month, I took an extra ten days leave on the Yellow Shahe, just to bring Eying into the Blood River Realm for cultivation, and by the way ask the Old Dragon King, Heavenly Mother Yun, when to return in the first month, who would have thought I'd unexpectedly encounter the reverse flow of Jiuyi Mountain midway. Nanjiang and Beiting that time both slept for a month, this time I'm afraid I've slept through the New Year.

Although it doesn't mean that, but always not following the plan, it easily makes people think he has no one to rely on, relies on his merits, begins to act as he pleases, this is not good, it will make people sigh.

Put on pants, got up and poured tea.

Liang Qu gulped down tea while calling someone, the disciple waiting at the door hurried in.

"What, you say I only slept two days?"

"Yes." The disciple answered respectfully, "The day before yesterday, the sect master won against Jiuyi Mountain, Senior Sister Mengyao and Senior Brother Zifu brought the sect master back, today the sect master you woke up, and not much time has passed."

Liang Qu was surprised.

He clearly remembered the drowsiness after the battle, no less than Nanjiang and Beiting, this time he actually woke up after two days, is the restorative property of Tian Shu Chao Lu still cooling, is it the fusion of Huang Ni Mu that let my recovery ability become stronger?

Also, the window shows heavy snow, after a great battle, snow is easy, not to last a month, I should have realized earlier.

Ten days leave, seven days preparation, two days sleep, that's not urgent, Liang Qu poured another cup of tea, sat back on the bed: "Then during these two days I slept, what happened outside?"

The two disciples thought for a moment.

The one on the left answered: "There is a major matter, not something that happened while the sect master was asleep, but when the sect master was in reverse flow, Jiuyi Mountain let a group of bandits loot it."

"What? There's actually such a thing?" Liang Qu widened his eyes.

The one on the right added: "Yes, sect master, yes, I heard that group of bandits also set fire, casualties were severe, the elders of their sect were half-dead with anxiety, they came to our River God Sect for aid, just when you, sect master, were victorious, Elder Danyang thought Jiuyi Mountain couldn't afford to lose, so they started fighting, afterwards the people of Long Hu Ge all followed to Jiuyi Mountain, and also the core elder of Tianhuo Sect, Elder Fei, went as well."

"Have you caught those bandits?" Liang Qu urgently asked.

"No." The two disciples shook their heads, "I heard the leader of the bandits is very formidable, swift and decisive, when that Jiuyi Mountain elder arrived at our mountain gate, the other side had already fled, when the various major sects arrived, they also found no useful clues."

"How absurd!" Liang Qu angrily slapped the table, "How could there be such shameless people in the world? Truly disgusting, disgusting, it must be because I and Jiuyi Mountain agreed to the reverse flow battle, that gave them an opportunity, if Boyi and Qiye the great ones were here, how could bandits act recklessly!"

The two disciples didn't understand.

"Sect master, isn't this Jiuyi Mountain bringing it upon itself? Fortunately, the sect master won, now everywhere outside is spreading your prestige, these two days, there is no one more mighty than the sect master, if the sect master lost, our River God Sect would be no better than Jiuyi Mountain now."

"Nonsense! How could you have such an idea? Aren't you disciples of my River God Sect?" Liang Qu sternly rebuked, righteous and solemn, "Lips gone, teeth cold! Such a simple principle, you don't understand? Today those bandits could strike at Jiuyi Mountain, tomorrow they could strike at our River God Sect!

If one day I immerse myself in closed-door cultivation and can't come to aid in time, could you escape? The entire sect, besides me, what could compare to Jiuyi Mountain? Bandits are the main contradiction, Jiuyi Mountain's reverse flow is the secondary contradiction! Such calamity should be eradicated early! No matter how deep the grudge, it must be set aside!"

The two disciples lowered their heads, faces ashamed.

"It's the disciples' cultivation insufficient, sect master please don't be angry."

The sect master not only has extraordinary talent and great strength, but also such high self-expectations, moral cultivation, compared to that, they truly are not fit to be disciples of the River God Sect!

"Alright." Liang Qu waved his hand, "Considering your youth, in the future you must absolutely not have such thoughts, good rivers, let the capable dwell there, but theft, absolutely not! Go, call over the Deputy Sect Master Shen outside, and also you, Senior Sister Mengyao, I have orders."

"Yes!"

Squeak.

The door shut, cold wind blew in through the cracks, in the white world two snowflakes blew in.

The Blood River Realm had long since turned into the White River Realm.

With no one left in the room, Liang Qu, still holding his teacup, rose and paced about; unable to contain himself, he broke into a grin.

The depths of Mount Jiuyi are rich in resources—five years ago it was still a Second Rank sect, so it must hold countless treasures; two days have passed, and the spoils should already have been delivered into Long Binglin's hands——

We've struck it rich!

King Chu, you've done well!

Not only that, we've had a bumper harvest of supreme-grade blood treasures!

"Four First Rank sects, six Second Rank sects, two Third Rank sects—each compensates with one piece, all collected together, that makes twelve pieces——

Supreme-grade blood treasures—Liang Qu doesn't yet know their use, but since Lao Yingtian employed a supreme-grade blood treasure to occupy Su Hebaolu's corpse, they must serve some unexpected, tremendous purpose.

Thinking of Lao Yingtian, I wonder—after his soul-transference, what is his realm now? Has he regressed? Has he found the ice marrow?

"The Heavenly Fire Sect is stingy—after succeeding in the reverse flow, they gave me just one supreme-grade treasure, too embarrassed to use it; now at last I can take one or two to study."

Fei Taiyu and Wulingxu revealed that the underworld has "reincarnation," all fate predetermined, but Liang Qu always felt they were hiding something—at the very least, it's not that fitting.

"Exhilarating—the Yellow Mud Mother truly is extraordinary——

Liang Qu extended both hands, clenched them into Xue Chengquan's fist, his excitement undiminished.

Eighth-stage Buyi—crushing defeat.

One old, one young—prove my absolute learning!

Though the pure six-hundred-fifty-two-fold root sea still struggles to match an eighth-stage Wu Sheng, the Yellow Mud Mother's fusion has transformed the cloud sea into fertile soil, letting him feel he is not merely quantity but quality—heaven and earth apart—greatly narrowing the realm gap between them.

Even if everyone's root sea were identical in size, Liang Qu's actual substance should equal that of a fourth or even fifth stage—far from ordinary third stage.

Not to mention the Yellow Mud Mother's own nourishment, which seems to have boosted Liang Qu's recovery—what once required a month of sleep now takes only three days.

Beyond doubt, it was worth every penny.

Even if the flood dragon stripped away the effect of the 【Dew Seed】, with no other growth, his transformation into a blood ape would still grant him the true strength to contend.

Liang Qu never imagined that, with three years left until the Great Hunt, he could have grown this far—he'd thought he'd just be going through the motions, but now——

"Once we've fully digested the Whale King's 'gift,' perhaps we could still grow to seven hundred."

"Sect Master!"

Shen Zhongliang arrived first.

Liang Qu gathered his thoughts, immediately began arranging affairs—naturally, first sending condolences to Mount Jiuyi.

"We're sending condolences to Mount Jiuyi?" Shen Zhongliang doubted his ears.

"Exactly—Buyi is severely injured; this time recovery seems unlikely, possibly plunging into slumber, perhaps for hundreds of years—such a calamity, our River God Sect ought to condole, even join the siege against the bandits—and you shall go yourself."

Shen Zhongliang clicked his tongue—he truly didn't know Buyi's condition, and now hearing this, did they just beat someone into slumber?

Unthinkable!

"Yes, but—how much compensation?"

"Not too little, not too much—just draw from those blood treasures I gave you earlier, without disrupting the sect's daily operations."

"Not too little, not too much." Shen Zhongliang pondered, "Understood!"

"How is the sect faring?"

"Thriving! All thanks to Sect Master you—when the news of Mount Jiuyi's reverse flow spread, the River God Sect was deathly still; now it seems to have bounced back, and I've heard many disciples have even broken through their realms!"

"Really?"

"Yes, how could it not be? Now the River God Sect—disciples confident, elders settled, flourishing day by day, thriving!

Under your leadership, Sect Master, we won't need a hundred years—just fifty, and we'll become an established Second Rank sect—all thanks to basking in your glory."

"Enough, enough—we can hold a banquet, but warn the disciples not to grow too arrogant, lest they cause trouble."

"Yes! Right, Sect Master." Shen Zhongliang recalled something, "Elder Fei Taiyu of the Heavenly Fire Sect, before leaving, asked me to tell you: visit the Heavenly Fire Sect—there's an important matter to discuss."

"An important matter?" Liang Qu rubbed his chin, secretly frowning, "Good, I understand."

After a bit more talk, Shen Zhongliang took his leave.

"Elder Fei Taiyu seeks me? What could it be?" Liang Qu felt annoyed.

The Whale King covets his body, the Heavenly Fire Sect also covets his body——

"Soon we'll blast them all! One steamed, one roasted!"

"Knock knock knock."

"Master?"

"Come in!"

Lao Mengyao pushed open the door, bringing snow as she tiptoed in, scanning him up and down: "Wow, that monk still has some skill—you said Master would wake this afternoon, and sure enough, not a minute off."

"Monk?" Liang Qu raised an eyebrow, "What are you saying? Where did this monk come from?"

"Great Master Huizhen of the Great Enlightenment Temple—on the day of the reverse flow battle, he came to our River God Sect to observe, then went with us to Nine Dou Noon to investigate the bandits." Lao Mengyao puzzled, "I and my senior brother brought Master you back here, then late at night, Great Master Huizhen returned from Nine Dou Echo, saying frankly, we had wanted to stop him, but when we found him, it seemed he'd awakened Master you with a sutra, then said you'd wake this afternoon."

"Damn!"

Damn it, turns out it wasn't the Yellow Mud Mother's nourishing effect!

Liang Qu startled, immediately ran his hands over himself inside and out, checked his body, Lower Dantian, found nothing wrong, yet still uneasy, he cursed inwardly.

What the hell—do I even know you? You just randomly treat people? Or is it some kind of covert treatment?

Though Liang Qu did want to investigate Huizhen, having him show up like this is too strange?

"Where is he?" Liang Qu felt a sudden dread—the Blood River Realm has no Great Shun canopy over him.

"I don't know—he said he'd wait for Master to wake, then come naturally, that very humble monk, very mystical saying, 'fate has its time, when it comes it comes,' 'affinity comes naturally'—can Master you understand what I mean?" Lao Mengyao struggled to explain.

First withdrawing the notarization, then rushing over in the middle of the night to treat Liang Qu, Lao Mengyao could well understand Liang Qu's tense feeling—if she woke up and found a man's clothes hanging on the screen, she'd react the same way.

Lao Mengyao's words had just faded.

"Knock knock knock."

"Ape benefactor—"

Liang Qu immediately turned his head, and Laomengyao nodded three times.

Coming to the door on one's own initiative? Not letting people notify in advance?

Not knowing what medicine the other party had in their gourd, when the matter came to a head, there was no way to close the door and not see anyone. Liang Qu took a deep breath, stepped forward two steps, and personally opened the door.

"Squeak—"

Snowflakes drifted and swirled.

Standing at the door was a middle-aged monk, not emaciated or dark-skinned like an old monk, even somewhat plump, very clean, just an ordinary monk of that sort, his face bearing an air of amiability.

If the old monk resembled a cloud-and-water monk, then this middle-aged monk with a wandering gaze was simply an ordinary temple-residing monk.

Liang Qu bowed with clasped hands: "I suppose you must be Master Huizhen?"

Huizhen pressed his palms together: "This humble monk's dharma name is Huizhen."

"Thank you, Master Huizhen, for healing me. Master Huizhen truly possesses profound Buddhist dharma and a compassionate heart, to the extent that you could even divine the moment I awoke."

"That's not it—I merely felt it was roughly this afternoon, and having seen Sect Leader Shen rushing back and forth earlier, I deduced that the benefactor had awakened, so I came to pay a visit."

Liang Qu was speechless.

Huizhen then turned his gaze to Laomengyao, bowed slightly, and asked: "Little benefactor, we meet again."

"Master!" Laomengyao hastily bowed, only monks and Daoist masters of great ability would bow to ordinary people, she dared not stand here and disturb, "Master, Master Huizhen, you two talk, I have something to attend to."

"Pa."

In the blink of an eye, only Liang Qu and Huizhen remained in the room.

Liang Qu opened his mouth, wanting to ask Huizhen why he had suddenly returned to treat him.

Huizhen acted first, he reached into his kasaya, and pulled out a "blood treasure" encircled by a blood-colored halo, but this blood treasure was completely different from what Liang Qu had seen scattered.

The higher the grade of the blood treasure, the more transparent its substance, yet it remained red—a one-chi blood-colored amber; supreme grade was merely a mass of red light. This one, seen with a wandering gaze, was actually as transparent as glass, except that in the center, a vertical pupil-like floating "blood thread" drifted.

Liang Qu cautiously guarded against a sneak attack, and asked carefully: "Master, what is this blood treasure?"

"This is not a blood treasure, it is a wheel of rebirth seal." Huizhen placed it on the table with three fingers, "If the benefactor encounters members of the Heavenly Fire Sect scattered about, using this will prevent others from discerning one's traces."

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