Chapter 1347

"With the waterway, we can go to Jianghuai? And there are other demon kings' territories."

"Just part of the demon kings, the sworn brothers of the Great King, other demon kings were careful to go and let people beat and kill them, so when the time comes, there's nowhere to reason."

"If they don't die, other demon kings who aren't sworn brothers have no waterway, but those with a waterway can go."

In the Black King tribe's land, the squids crowded together, waving their hook-armed tentacles, looking up eagerly, noisy and bustling. Though they are East Sea fish, they had long heard of the Jianghuai waterway, never expecting to one day set it up on their own territory.

Isn't this convenient, arriving home?

"It's been a long time since I ate the Eight-Armed Tribe's connecting tentacles. With age, my wife keeps pestering me, many times I've been willing but unable, truly afraid that if it continues, she'll have fish outside, I miss her so much—"

"Shh!"

Behind, a squid covered the mouth of the squid muttering about connecting tentacles, fortunately no other squid heard, the speaking squid also recalled the Eight-Armed Tribe leaving the East Sea, immediately shut up, pretended nothing happened, and continued mixing in the noisy fish school.

The Whale King is the uncrowned ruler of the East Sea, personally ordering the Sea Fangzhu unsuitable for sea trade, while other fish continue trading—is that appropriate?

Although many things don't need to be so particular, many will change slowly over time—for example, first avoid contact, after a few years, separate by a layer, secretly contact, after a few more years, discuss directly—but now it's only been how long? Obviously not yet that time.

In the center of the squid school, Bai Yuan and the Black King stood side by side.

Soon.

The final 【Vortex Flow Avoidance Path】 slowly formed before the Two Kings, the hundred-li waterway successfully connected, fully linked, thoroughly connecting Jianghuai and the East Sea, east-west direction!

"Mission accomplished!"

The outlet vortex slowly rotated, stirring up silt on the seabed, forming a brown circulation band, in tranquility, like the brown Milky Way at night, splendid and beautiful.

Bai Yuan clapped his hands, satisfied and stepped back.

After several days of rushing about in the East Sea, I finally cleared the territories of the eleven demon kings, made some initial progress, and fulfilled the Sacred Emperor's demand to unite the East Sea demon kings.

Next, I should go to the imperial capital to retrieve the treasures and medicines I distributed for completing the mission, and quickly add them to the Little Horse King's body refinement.

The corpse has been left there, but it will lose water essence, the longer it's delayed, the greater the loss.

Soon achieve myriad-fold root sea, nurture self-position fruit, establish the Heaven-Supporting White Jade Pillar, open a small world, become World King, let kin and water beasts live forever, drive great world development, bear two little dragon monkeys, from then on walk the peak of monkey life—

"Second Brother, is this enough?" The Black King stepped forward, interrupting his thoughts.

It only sees the vortex before it, between the two vortices a hundred li apart, there is no imagined visible waterway, completely invisible, extremely mysterious.

A calamity dragon can have many divine powers, but the art of creation only has three items, hard to understand such mysterious means not being the art of creation.

If it were the art of creation, it's hard to imagine how Bai Yuan became a demon king overlord under a creation art that is construction-type, useless for personal strength, after defeating Ha Ya and the Little and Great Horse Kings, then fighting the Whale King to a draw.

"Yes." Bai Yuan pointed at the vortex, "If someone comes out, the vortex will accelerate expansion, then one must be careful, as things inside move very fast, they'll spurt out, don't hit something and get injured, so special items must be transported carefully, special times, the waterway can also be closed, like this."

"Pa."

A finger snap, the vortex vanished, the stirred silt floated down.

"Pa!"

The silt halfway down resumed rotating and dancing.

"The waterway is fully connected, entry and exit only possible at the front and rear vortex positions, cannot jump out midway, but since the waterway itself is a continuous segment-by-segment connection, every hundred-li position will have an invisible small entrance/exit; to exit here, one must focus spirit and jump hard to get out."

"Now I understand, roughly grasped." The Black King turned his head, "Who wants to try?"

"Me me me! Great King, choose me, choose me!"

"Okay, it's you."

A squid volunteered, extending ten tentacles to raise hand, a dense thicket, before the chosen squid touched the vortex, Bai Yuan immediately stretched out his big hand, blocked the squid, and pulled it away.

The next moment.

The warning just spoken became reality.

The brown vortex expanded, accelerated rotation, in the blink of an eye, one after another spurted from the center of the brown galaxy, hit the water, letting the object wrapped in white steam.

Liang Qu thought it was the Sea Fangzhu opposite timing it perfectly, this side just finished, that side sent over the team to build.

Indeed, that's the case.

Water spiders, dragon people, dragon sturgeons, Jianghuai merpeople adjusted positions in succession, landed steadily, plus a series of construction expansion market-opening items, but in the middle of the team, there was a small accident.

"Boss! Boss!"

"Third Prince? What are you coming here for?"

"Ugh! Bai Boss, big trouble! E Ying sister sent me to hurry and tell you."

The little clam dragon hugged its tail, spun and flew out, hearing the sound, extended its body and braked urgently.

Liang Qu then noticed its four paws firmly gripping a scroll skin, like a wizard riding a broom.

"Bai Boss, hurry and look."

Upper two paws grip one side, lower two paws grip the other side.

The Third Prince straightened his body, propped open the scroll.

"Following Heaven's Mandate, ruling the four seas, all within the seas submit, myriad surnames return heart. But the territory is vast, people's livelihoods diverse, fear there may be undiscovered hidden troubles, unsettled people.

Formerly the Eight Emperors and Twelve Emperors patrolled the four directions, inspected the people's hardships, sacrificed to heaven and earth spirits, displayed virtue and governance's might, thus establishing the eternal law.

Now the Emperor wishes to follow the sage king's traces, patrol the world, to pacify the black-headed, stabilize mountains and rivers, illuminate ancestral achievements. Especially issued this edict, sent to commanderies and states, so all may know."

What situation?

Bai Yuan's eyes widened, snatched the scroll, confirmed he didn't missee.

"Second Brother, what happened?" The Black King asked.

Bai Yuan looked over several times, took a deep breath: "The Emperor of Great Shun wishes to patrol the world."

"This————is it very special?"

"Very special!"

Liang Qu's head felt a bit muddled, he himself didn't understand why the Sacred Emperor suddenly patrolled south, didn't know how to explain this to a native East Sea demon king for a moment, so he simplified by cutting complexity.

"Like wandering with the Whale King, he wants to come to my place."

"Now I understand." The Black King suddenly enlightened, "That's quite important, Second Brother has matters, go ahead and attend to them first."

Not bothering to contact the more perceptive of the demon kings, the White Ape tidied up his things: "I need to go back first, ask the Huai King—just in time, the Dragon people are coming over, building the market, any problems with the whirlpool waterway? You can ask them or the Third Prince."

"Good!"

The water flow squeezed, the White Ape vanished on the spot, leaving only the Third Prince.

The Crow King cast a glance.

"Wuhu, Crow Boss, hello!" The Third Prince hugged his tail and rolled in a circle, raised his dragon claw in greeting, patted his chest: "I'm under White Boss, the strongest, most loyal, most capable, smartest, and most handsome water beast—if you have any problems, Crow Boss, just ask me!"

"Splash."

Liang Qu leapt into the Dragon Palace, found Long Eying, after some inquiry, thoroughly confirmed his guess.

The imperial capital's northern side—this time the Sacred Emperor's inspection tour mainly aims southward!

Since it's southward, how could Nanzhili not be visited? How could the Jianghuai region in Nanzhili not be visited? How could Pingyang beside Jianghuai not be visited?

In the two years Liang Qu was enfeoffed as king of Pingyang Fu, Pingyang became utterly famous—no one who hadn't been to Pingyang was a true hero. This slogan, under Liang Qu's promotion, spread widely.

Isn't Liang Qu just blowing his own horn? The Sacred Emperor's grand southern inspection this time must, to some extent, involve wanting to come to Pingyang for fun, right?

And as Huai King, he directly received the Ministry of Rites' documents, requiring preparations for the Sacred Emperor's lodging, cooperating with the imperial court to build a temporary palace—and who knows if it's a sudden idea, but the given time is quite short.

"June 6th River God. Before————now already mid-March————"

Liang Qu pinched his fingers, his heart leapt.

What the hell? Not saying why, all of a sudden the Son of Heaven wants to go south, in less than three months, build a temporary palace—isn't this making things difficult for my Ashui?

And building the temporary palace costs nothing—how is this account to be calculated?

I haven't even gone to the capital to exchange treasures and medicines, yet the Sacred Emperor has gotten ahead, wanting to come to my side?

"No no, Eying, you keep an eye on the market side, stay in touch with Hai Fangzhu—I need to go to the capital to get things clear."

"Husband, rest assured."

"Yo, the Jianghuai King has come!" Lan Jicai teased, "Today you're here to get a fruit container? Too early—wait at least a few months, the New Year just ended, I'm just getting started."

"I know you're slow, not here for the container, Old Lan—hurry up, send a message fast, I need to see Your Majesty."

As a Wu Sheng, Liang Qu can no longer casually barge into the Sacred Emperor's presence, nor can he come to the capital and linger in the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, appearing to be forming factions and plotting strategies—he can only spur his horse, relying on the Qin Guan Supervisor with special authority to help settle things quickly.

Becoming a Wu Sheng has this downside.

"Then just go." Lan Jicai seemed to have expected it, "Because of the Sacred Emperor's southern tour? He already told me."

"You know?"

"Discussed at the morning court, decided by noon, I'll send you the message right away—you're quick, coming this afternoon, the Ministry of Rites is already in chaos."

Liang Qu was startled, no delay, he rushed straight to the palace.

The spring chill vanished without trace, and the gentle warm wind blew toward him.

The Diligent Governance Hall.

"Liang Qing." The Sacred Emperor showed no surprise at Liang Qu's arrival, his hand correcting memorials without pause: "How is the matter of the Eastern Sea Demon King?"

"That day, those who went to the southern border—total demon kings————" Liang Qu briefly recounted: "Now the Eastern Sea has eleven demon kings, except the Haiya King, the Big and Small Horse Kings, etc., all sworn brothers, and within their territories, waterways have been laid, markets agreed upon, exchanging goods with the imperial court."

"Good! Just as I knew—Liang Qing never lets me down!" The Sacred Emperor laughed and asked, "Today, are you here for elixirs, or to ask about the southern tour?"

"Both." Liang Qu helplessly, "Originally I planned to come after finishing today's work, who knew the Sacred Emperor would startle me—no, it's not that I have objections, really it's the timing is too tight, I don't understand—why is Pingyang the first lodging site? Your Majesty, tell the Ministry of Rites, shift it to Zuo Ning?"

"The matter came suddenly, I too am calculating the time—the Ministry of Rites has drafted the plan, roughly needing to depart in the fourth month, go south with the current, inspect along the way, two months' journey, and arrive in Nanzhili exactly in the fifth month."

"But your Mineral God Festival is on the fifth month fifth day, lodging with the Southern Capital again measured—say, at least July or August, if delayed you'd miss my Mineral God Festival—better to shift the first lodging site to your Yixing, if you want to extend time, don't you, Liang Qing, shift the Mineral God Festival to Zuo Ning? Frankly, your shadow and puppet plays have all reached my palace—let me say, I'm really curious."

Can it really be like this?

Liang Qu's teeth ached.

Delaying the River God Festival definitely won't do.

Destroying by habit, this thing hides huge losses—better to let Ah Fei sweat, run a few months, tight with the world, but if it's Fei Fist Heavy Industry, combined with Mineral Rat construction————

Still, there are difficulties.

Time-wise we can struggle, but manpower and resources?

"Your Majesty, why not, let's change the Huai Wang Fu? You rest assured, I won't crowd with you, I'll measure my master's home, build big, labor and wealth wasted—Your Majesty."

"Hahaha, you think I don't know your mind?" The Sacred Emperor laughed loudly, "Put a hundred hearts at ease—preparation is by local officials, money is from the Ministry of Security, if anyone wants to dip into silver, that's overstepping."

Hmm? No need to spend my own money?

Why didn't you say so earlier?

Liang Qu let out a great breath of relief, but Ji still wanted to strive his utmost.

A few months, time too tight with.

"Your Majesty, really must the southern tour be this year?"

"Ah————"

"Your Majesty————" Liang Qu startled, "Why cease breathing?"

The Sacred Emperor drew a great breath, set down his brush, waved his hand, the inner attendants retreated.

Liang Qu's heart steadied, he felt himself step forward into chaos.

The Sacred Emperor rose, walked to the window of the Diligent Governance Hall, hands behind his back, gazing at the sky: "Muto Nanjiang influx greatly wounded, paid out so many elixirs, vital energy, damaged ships, money—even the Great Shun can't produce them at once, truly, in recent decades no major moves, age years, the Northern Court also signed treaties. North and South settled—this is since the founding of the Great Shun, never before such a peaceful situation as Muto, speaking of which, all inseparable from Liang Qing."

"I dare not accept— for the Sacred Emperor's affairs, for the Great Shun's affairs."

The Sacred Emperor waved his hand: "Merit is merit— frankly, these years, several major events, the exchanged elixirs' number so great the treasury can't maintain output balance, plus this Eastern Sea, even said to be tense, you've done much, yet need time to ferment for returns."

"Ah this————" Liang Qu regretted, "Then that minister, after a while come again to exchange?"

The Sacred Emperor glanced at Liang Qu: "Just nervous, not absent—put your heart at ease, won't delay your cultivation."

Liang Qu let out a breath of relief, immediately praised: "All under heaven peaceful, Sacred Emperor's vast fortune."

"It should be like Muto."

"Should be like Muto? Then actually————"

"The world says the sixty-year national calamity occurs because a dynasty's founding still carries accumulated weakness, the people's hearts are unsettled, most Martial Saints are still from the previous dynasty, and surrounding powers seeking to seize the opportunity to expand must do so within a short time. Normally speaking, since the southern border matter was settled a few days ago, the national calamity has basically passed; for the next thousand years, it should have been smooth sailing, however————"

The Sage Emperor concentrated his spirit. "A dynastic change involves at most one or two Furnaces, but our Great Shun is different; it has encountered a great upheaval unprecedented in ancient and modern times, beyond dynastic change. Before long, I fear————the national calamity will already count as a minor matter."

Liang Qu suddenly realized: "Your Majesty's southern tour is to measure a cycle————"

The Sage Emperor nodded.

"The Dragon Lord will appear; time is pressing. With the southern border pacified and the national calamity gone, one must race against time and go all out; delay by a year, who knows what variables might arise?"

By the Jishuitan mine, Liang Qu walked toward Dan Chou.

Understood.

Ji Quan understood.

The original Great Shun, founded less than a hundred years ago, faced the Northern Court on one side and guarded against the southern border on the other, stretched thin, lacking both the energy and the ability to participate in major Furnace affairs. One wrong move loses the whole game; burying one's head like an ostrich and pretending not to know was the best choice.

However now, the southern border has been shattered, the Northern Court has ceased war, there are no more worries from north or south, no national calamity concerns. The Great Hunt is imminent; Great Shun has ample strength to spare and will inevitably concentrate its efforts to secure a higher position for itself; the Sage Emperor's southern tour can be called an inevitability born of the situation's development.

The situation of the southern border and the Northern Court, moreover, is inseparable from Liang Qu's fanning of the flames————

Feelings have their own reasons.

What to do?

Can only accept the mission with tears.

The national calamity has mostly passed, yet an even greater thing is coming; the crucial pivot of it all is above the Jianghuai Great Marsh, in the ten-thousand-zhang high sky!

That is the Sage Emperor's true destination for the southern tour————

"The Immortal Island Above the Clouds."

Water ripples dimly; beneath the rock crevices, tall fescue sprouts green buds.

The capital in the twelfth month remains cold, yet already there is some imperceptible vitality stirring.

Liang Qu halted, standing by the mine, gazing at his own reflection.

"A Fei, Fist, the time for the Heavenly God to test you has arrived!"

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