Chapter 1331

The fat catfish scratched its belly, then scratched its bottom, carrying a bundle on its back, and asked again.

"Asking for a poem! Big Black Fish! Didn't you hear clearly? Asking you to write a poem, write a poem!" the Spikefish on the left repeated, curling its fins to mimic writing, elated and honored, "Our Spikefish clan, looking across the Jianghuai Great Marsh, is indeed unknown, merely a tiny clan, but Big Black Fish's poetic fame resounds through Jianghuai, and even the Demon Kings of the East Sea know of it. Traveling a thousand li to seek a poem from Big Black Fish — the Spiny Big Fish, upon hearing this, immediately dispatched us."

"That's right." The Spikefish on the right nodded repeatedly, "It's just asking for a poem; what do outsiders call this?"

"A writing fee."

"Right, that's a writing fee."

The two Spikefish sang in harmony.

The fat fish was listless, completely uninterested.

Oh vast sea, you are all water. Oh steed, you have four legs. Oh beauty, you have big big eyes, and a mouth!

That's the only thing it knows how to write; where would it know how to write poetry? A waste of the Heavenly God's silver; it waved its fins.

What poem writing? The Flood Dragon is gone, the White Ape holds sway; from now on I lay down my brush and love no more————

"Don't, Big Black Fish." The Spikefish waved its fins, grabbing the fat fish, looking left and right, seeing no fish eavesdropping, "We know you are loyal to the Flood Dragon King, loyal beyond words, body in Jianghuai but heart in the East Sea. Right now you're only feigning compliance with the White Ape, but hiring someone to write a poem outside still comes with a writing fee! That East Sea Demon King has learned the ropes well, and even said there'd be a heavy reward after it's done!"

The fat fish's expression changed abruptly; it flicked its fins, shook off the Spikefish, cupped its belly, and stood fins-akimbo atop a rock.

The fat fish's fins fluttered like ink; with such a flick and such a stance, drifting in the current, it truly resembled a scholar's long sleeves, naturally exuding a refined scholarly air.

Integrity proud against the blue clouds, writings lofty as white snow; if not tempered by virtue, they remain but the selfishness of blood and qi, the dregs of mere technique.

How could your Big Black Fish be that kind of fish? Bow for five fish? Say I lay down my brush and I lay it down!

This is the integrity of a literary fish!

I excel at nurturing my vast righteous Qi!

The two Spikefish retreated several body-lengths, feeling a gale blast their faces, as if a high mountain towered before them, and shame arose in their hearts.

"Not five, not five." The left Spikefish braced against the surging current, swam forward, spread its fins, "Big Black Fish, it's this number, all top-grade treasure fish! One poem's price, as many as you want I'll take; five poems, ten poems, not too many."

Whoosh.

The raging current instantly vanished.

The fat fish held its head high, sneakily glancing down sideways.

Hiss~

The Spikefish struck while the iron was hot: "And the fish that came said, after this, they'll establish East Sea–Jianghuai trade with our Spikefish clan! Right now East Sea–Jianghuai trade is cut off; the Spiny Big Fish said, if we can open a crack, our clan will strike it rich!"

Looking left and right, the fat fish pulled the Spikefish close.

"What poem do they want?"

"A courtship poem? Haiya King? What the hell? Write it for the Sea Fangzhu?"

Yixing County, Shangrao Wharf.

The last day of the holiday rest; Liang Qu packed his luggage, standing on the deck of the Creation Treasure Ship, just about to depart for the Yellow Sand River, when he received the fat fish's message.

Old man's subway phone.

Are you kidding me? Seven turns eight detours and it lands on Ah Fei? Ah Fei can write a fart of a poem; it's all ghostwritten by the capital's great poet Liu Zhengfeng, he bought exclusive rights, over a thousand taels a poem; later he directly found Jian Zhongyi from the underworld, had him practice writing while holding the bit, saving money too; last time they met Liu Zhengfeng even asked why he hadn't bought poems recently.

Ashes rekindled, no, picking up an old flame————

No way.

"This business can be done!"

Liang Qu rubbed his hands.

After the Sea Fangzhu was driven out, contact between Jianghuai and the East Sea was basically severed; and it's not like before when Liang Qu connected sea merchants and the Great Shun imperial court — back then the Sea Fangzhu at least made a trip every two or three years, now not even one trip; the East Sea still has some good specialties, the Sea Wolf clan certainly can't compare to professional merchants, but at least it's an opening.

Thinking to this point, he immediately rushed to the study, rummaging through boxes and cabinets.

Before, when Ah Fei wrote poems for the Flood Dragon, praising the Flood Dragon — that track was rare; his belly lacked goods, so he had to find others; this time no need to spend, he had ready-made ones, and they hadn't been circulated.

"What are you looking for?" Long Eying entered and asked, "Do you need my help?"

"Lady?" Liang Qu pulled open a drawer, flipping through stack after stack, pulling open pages scanning, "Back when we went to Blue Lake on Great Snow Mountain to handle a dark stake, using the excuse of Frog Duke visiting the Ice Toad, before going, I wrote Frog Duke many poems; you still remember, right?"

Long Eying leaned against the doorframe: "Why is Husband looking for these?"

"Useful."

"Not here."

"Then where?"

Long Eying crooked a finger; Liang Qu scurried after her.

The two left the study, turned to the bedroom; before Liang Qu could puzzle it out, he saw Long Eying pull open the bedside cabinet, take out a book she read every night lately, flip to a certain part, inside which was clipped a thin page folded like a paper fan.

Taking the page, Liang Qu fixed his eyes on it.

"Peng Mountain from here is not far; the blue bird diligently comes to check————"

"There is a beauty; seeing her, unforgettable. One day not seeing her, thoughts run wild. Phoenix soaring, seeking a mate across four seas; helpless, the beauty is not by the east wall."

"Floating world three thousand, my love has three: sun, moon, and you; sun for morning, moon for evening, you for every morning and every evening."

"Hey, this is it! This is it! Lady, you're amazing! Mwah!"

Liang Qu was overjoyed, tried to pull the page away; a jade-white finger reached out from behind, passed over the spine, pressed down lightly, pinning the bookmark in place.

Long Eying said faintly: "Husband hasn't said what you need it for yet."

"Cough, this... small matter————"

"So, the Haiya King uses the Sea Fangzhu targeting you as an excuse, and to cover it up, asks Ah Fei for a poem, and Ah Fei asks you for it?" Long Eying was surprised.

"Right, Lady is so smart! You sorted out this whole big loop." Liang Qu gave a thumbs up.

"Then put plainly, doesn't that become Husband writing a courtship poem for the Sea Fangzhu?"

"Cough! How can that be the same?" Liang Qu nearly choked on his saliva, spread the paper, "These poems weren't written by me either; I only attended academy for half a year, where would I know how to write poetry? I'm just a porter."

"I never heard them before, never saw them in books; so they're what Husband wrote for me, not allowed for anyone else to use." Long Eying sighed, "Husband wrote love poems for Frog Duke; I barely managed to mooch two, and now they have to be taken by Husband to give to another woman."

"Then———— let's bargain; tonight I'll massage Lady's little feet?"

"How can you both eat and take? Haven't you pinched enough from me on ordinary days?"

"Then what should we do?"

"When you're free after this busy spell, write me ten new ones."

"Good sister, Frog Lord drained it early last time. Feel my belly — it's all the soup dumplings I ate this morning, a belly full of lard. Where would there be any ink?"

"So there's nothing to talk about, then?"

Long Eying's index finger shifted back; it looked like it would either be torn off or yanked away.

"Talk, talk, talk." Liang Qu gritted his teeth and stomped his foot. "Another day, when I have a moment, I'll scrape again! No ink? I'll write with blood! Search my guts and scrape my belly — every word weeping blood."

Long Eying's eyes curved into crescents; satisfied, she released her index finger.

"You actually know how to bargain back — you really need a lesson, to re-establish the husband's authority!"

"Ah!"

Having smoothly pulled free the page, Liang Qu instantly changed expression, gathered Eying's waist in his arm, bent down, and bit the dragon girl's lips.

A long while.

Long Eying panted, both arms looping around Liang Qu's neck.

"Right." Liang Qu closed the book, shoved it back into the cabinet. "How did this thing get tucked inside a book?"

"I've been reading this one lately; I used it as a bookmark."

Bubbles rose slowly.

Jianghuai Great Marsh.

Fat Fish swam leisurely; having transcribed a copy, his clever little brain turned — he didn't give it to Stab Puffer, but sent it first to North Sea Hai Fangzhu, making clear this was written by a Heavenly God, that the Heavenly God's talent was overflowing, and they absolutely must not let Sea Tooth King swindle them just because the poetry was beautiful.

Hai Fangzhu waved his tentacles, praising repeatedly: "What fine poetry — all written by Little Water?"

Fat Fish nodded repeatedly.

Heavenly God — capable in both letters and arms! Brave and invincible!

"What a pity, Eight-Clawed King only wants to eat me and my sister, wouldn't write us poetry." Hai Yun sighed. "Eying-meimei is so lucky."

"Understood." Hai Fangzhu extended a wrist-foot, patted Fat Fish's head. "Just judging by the poetry, it's truly a bit moving; now knowing Little Water wrote it, I won't be fooled."

Long Beard bowed ninety degrees; Fat Fish timed it precisely, flicked his long tail, fish tail nonstop back to Dragon Palace, and before Stab Puffer arrived, stood atop the reef, flung out a stack of manuscript paper, carried both fins on his back, said nothing.

"Good poetry, good poetry! Such sincere feeling, such beautiful language."

Stab Head flipped through the pages, rapt and intoxicated.

"Heaven did not give birth to Big Black Fish — the Jianghuai poetry world is an eternal long night!"

"Big Poetry Fish!"

"We have a Big Poetry Fish!"

"The literary world cannot lose Big Black Fish, just as Jianghuai cannot be without Dragon Lord!"

Stab Puffer cheered.

Fat Fish waved a fin — this was for the Stab Puffer clan, his final poetry; hurry up and take it.

Stab Puffer wept with gratitude.

Although Big Black Fish joined the Stab Puffer clan halfway, he truly had sentiment and righteousness, courage and strategy.

Promoted by the Flood Dragon King, he didn't forget his clan fish, brought them into the Great Huai Army to draw rations; though they didn't receive pay, that was only because the Flood Dragon ran too fast — otherwise in another half year they'd have gotten it. When Bai Yuan came, Big Black Fish didn't abandon the Stab Puffers either; single-handedly, amid the turmoil of Jianghuai, he protected the entire clan.

What has the neighboring Dog Fish clan become? Originally evenly matched, now Dog Fish can only linger on their last breath.

Big Black Fish's origins are also pitiful beyond measure — the spines on his body were pulled out one by one. To think I actually once disdained Big Black Fish for eating too much — I'm truly not a fish; in the middle of the night I want to slap myself twice.

"Yes!"

"Such fast efficiency — this———— is only five?"

Sea Tooth King stared with wide eyes and gaping mouth, flipping through the pages in hand.

There's no waterway from East Sea to Jianghuai; a trip takes three days. This is completely go there, get it, then come back?

The key is the poetry quality.

Although he doesn't write poetry, as long as he recognizes characters and can read books, he has the most basic ability to discriminate poetry — the ones in his hand, not a single one isn't a masterpiece!

They're water clan, yet they actually have a demon beast that can write poetry.

"No wonder I heard this Big Black Fish rose step by step to high office under the Flood Dragon's command through writing poetry; even after putting down his brush under Bai Yuan, he wasn't treated harshly but rather honored, and led the Stab Puffer clan to expand their territory————"

High Mountain — one can only look up in admiration.

Rare, too rare.

No matter what it is, once it becomes a unique "one," it always makes people sigh with regret.

Sea Tooth King himself gave birth to a cherish-talent heart, wanting to go to Jianghuai, see this legendary Big Poetry Fish, silently memorize the poetry in his heart, and when he went to Jianghuai he could recite from memory.

Beside him an old Sea Wolf swam out: "Great King, the poetry's already been obtained, so are we————"

", no rush." Sea Tooth King raised a fin. "Huai King has already gone north; Yuan Wang's river stone" has just moved — the initial first few days, progress won't be fast. Wait until their touch gets hot, then set out — only then can we delay progress to the maximum extent."

"Great King is wise!"

"Also, have the other demon kings contacted by the Southern Border been found? I'm only a Mid-stage Demon King; cooperating with the Sea Wolf Formation, it's merely high-stage strength — barely a match for Perfection. That Yuan Wang can fight an Awakening Realm Flood Dragon — we need to find some brothers to help out, only then will it be safe."

"Reporting to Great King, Southern Border at that time didn't say who they contacted, but based on our deduction, they should have also gone to seek Ma Wang."

"Ma Wang?" Sea Tooth King's heart jumped in alarm. "That guy's also moved?"

"Unknown, still in the process of verification."

"Good, good, good — turns out it's Ma Wang's clan; just having this one side helping is enough." Sea Tooth King was overjoyed.

Ma Wang, the Seahorse clan — not to mention anything else, this clan has two Demon Kings!

Big Ma Wang is even a Peak Demon King; strength is extraordinary.

Unexpected, truly unexpected — Southern Border secretly contacted such a high fin.

"What about the Cloud Heaven Palace side?"

"The Whale Emperor is away traveling; only King Yunyan remains in the palace. However, King Yunyan said romantic affairs are private matters, outsiders must not meddle. Moreover, Hai Fangzhu and the Ape King are intimate — even if the Whale Emperor were here he would not agree. If the Great King truly likes her, just pursue her yourself."

"Good, that's exactly the sentence I wanted — pursue her yourself!" King Haiya slapped the table. "Do you know how to translate that?"

"Understood!" Old Sea Wolf bowed his head. "King Yunyan's words: pursuing love is only right and proper. Since Hai Fangzhu and Bai Yuan have made no announcement, that means anyone can pursue her! Bai Yuan also cannot interfere with Hai Fangzhu's freedom!"

"Hahaha, exactly, exactly."

Three days passed in a flash.

Liang Qu and Bai Yuan Hezhongshi both arrived above the Yellow Sand River.

General Lang Yu returned swiftly, bringing back another piece of good news.

King Haiya listened, then abruptly rose and went outside the great hall. He first gazed into the distance at the nearby Flood Dragon, then shouted loudly.

"Sea Wolves, assemble!"

Boom!

In an instant, countless water-flow storms converged, fluorescence flashing.

To the southeast, the Snake Clan was startled by this huge commotion, hissing and flicking tongues, arrayed in strict battle formation. Then they saw the silver storm shudder once and head straight west.

General Lin Jie watched the Sea Wolves rampage away, vanishing in a flash.

Southern Frontier.

"It moved!" The new Tusi was handling government affairs when he sensed the 'River-Center Stone' move. He immediately set down the pages, opened the window, just expecting the East Sea Demon King to act, but soon frowned. "Wait, this direction — it went to Jianghuai?"

Hei Shui Du Ren Ye could not sense the 'River-Center Stone'. Only after the Tusi informed him of the position did he speculate: "Feint east, strike west?

Jianghuai is Bai Yuan's main base. As long as he can be tied down————"

"Also possible."

The Tusi thought for a moment, then sat back down.

"But Haiya King going straight to the main base like this — isn't he afraid of thoroughly offending the Ape King?"

Ren Ye could not explain it.

"Perhaps Haiya King took a different approach, found a unique pretext?

"

Immediately after.

Beiting, Dashun, Flood Dragon, Ironhead Fish — one after another they sensed it, all casting their gazes over.

The East Sea Demon King, suddenly heading west — what does he intend to do?

Astonishment, curiosity, anticipation————

Above the Yellow Sand River.

The turbid Shahe flows slowly, no roaring Yellow Dragon, no mud and sand piled into mountains.

Knowing early on that King Haiya would come make trouble, naturally there was no need to go all in. Otherwise, back and forth, not only is efficiency low, both sides would be handled badly.

Treasure ship quiet room.

Liang Qu sat cross-legged, Jianghe phantoms encircling him.

He looked inward at his own body.

At the center of his Lower Dantian, a round golden glazed stone floated and sank uncertainly, radiating brilliant light. Under the glow of the light halo, the entire First Xiandao was plated in a layer of golden radiance.

Dharma Śarīra!

The founder of the Golden Body, the possessor of the Dragon-Tiger Golden Body, a Buddhist great power from thousands of years ago.

At this very moment, this Buddhist supreme treasure continuously emitted radiance, warm like a spring day.

The First Xiandao absorbed the śarīra's radiance, like a catalyst thrown into reactants, undergoing earth-shaking changes.

Atop the entire immortal island, beams, bricks — every place where gaps existed was filled with substantial golden light. Afterwards the gaps slowly healed, like fine grouting, advancing toward the direction of a unified whole, leaving all others in the dust.

He sensed the River-Center Stone's anomaly.

Golden eyes snapped open.