Chapter 139

Blood surged from the bones.

The three barriers of skin, flesh, and bone each took months to break through, but the blood barrier and bone barrier acted in tandem, mutually reinforcing each other.

If you refine the bone barrier first, then the blood barrier, the breakthrough speed will be several times faster than the first three barriers.

Liang Qu estimated that, at his current pace, he could break through in just half a month and become a true Wu Shi.

Once he completed the refinement of the internal organs, his body would become unified from top to bottom—that was the Rushing Horse Wu Shi, capable of carrying dozens of racing horses without so much as a tremor.

A Wu Shi of the Rushing Horse realm, let alone in a small township, would be looked upon with respect even in the county or prefecture.

If he took up an official post, unless it was in the capital or Jin Ling—places where Martial Masters were as common as dogs—he would start at least as a ranked official; even assigning him as a clerk would be an insult.

Liang Qu pressed his qi and blood into the marrow fluid; his blood surged like a great river tide, and a faint white mist clung to his entire body.

There was no part of his body where blood did not flow; as it coursed through every vessel, he felt utterly at ease.

After several sticks of incense had burned, Liang Qu exhaled deeply, stretched his limbs, and the drowsiness born of night vanished completely.

This ultimate ease was hard to put into words; if he had to describe it, he felt it was like realizing something was just a false alarm.

Everything had settled safely, profoundly solid.

A half-moon hung in the night sky.

Liang Qu took off his shoes and socks, sat by the boat's edge, and dipped his bare feet into the water.

In early April, the distinctive chill of the river seeped through every pore, then raced up along his spine.

Martial cultivators had robust physiques, unafraid of extreme cold or heat, but that didn't mean they couldn't feel it.

On the contrary, they sensed cold and heat more acutely, more readily perceiving environmental changes—yet this chill could not penetrate to the core of their lungs and organs, for within their chest burned a vital fire that resisted it.

Liang Qu was even more peculiar—he had fused with Ze Spirit, naturally attuned to water.

When he was a white Ze Spirit water monkey, it was mostly winter; his body was weak, struggling to lift even heavy objects, instinctively resisting the water's chill, so numb he barely felt cold at all—this was in fact a disguised weakening.

Later, after his transformation into a Ze Monkey, this ability became fully controllable.

Looking back now, it had already been half a year.

From a frail fisherman's boy to a man praised by everyone in town as Master Liang.

In the county, he had a circle of teacher-friends; if he mentioned Xu Xu Yue or Long Long Binglin, even in the capital he was considered to have connections.

The initial feelings of unfamiliarity and loneliness were gone; he had firmly taken root.

"Huh."

Liang Qu sat on the boat, gazing at the broad river, its waves layered and rolling; he did nothing, just as a child watches ants moving before rain—just watching was more than enough to satisfy him.

"Master, are you having breakfast?"

A knock came at the door.

Liang Qu opened his eyes, sat up, and after a moment of drowsiness, remembered the question.

"Yes! I brought back some fish meat last night—slice it thin, add some green vegetables, and make fish meat porridge! Make plenty—send a pot over to the men working in the third courtyard!"

"Got it, I'll get right on it."

The courtyard fell silent, leaving only the chirping of birds.

Liang Qu got up, took out his tooth powder to clean his teeth, then picked up Dragon Fubo and practiced in the courtyard.

He broke into a warm sweat; the hot porridge was ready.

The woman in charge of cooking brought out a wooden table into the courtyard and set down a full clay pot of fish meat porridge; the thick aroma of rice mingled with the savory scent of fish, making everyone's mouth water.

Liang Qu sat down, rolled up his sleeves, and called to the craftsmen in the courtyard: "Put your work aside for now, come eat breakfast and warm yourselves. Bowls are over there—help yourselves to as much as you want."

The bricklayer stuck his head out of the water pit: "Master Liang, we already ate this morning. You're too kind."

"Yeah, we ate before we came."

"Can what you ate compare to what I ate? This is fish demon meat—eat it and you'll have endless strength. No more excuses—come get your bowl and chopsticks!"

Hearing it was fish demon meat, everyone swallowed hard.

Liu Liu Shouping now entered from the back courtyard, followed by a group of workers; he was the first to pick up a bowl: "You all know what Master Liang is like—this opportunity won't come again. Eat fast and get back to work!"

With Liu Liu Shouping, the most senior among them, speaking up, the others' pressure eased; one by one they came forward to ladle porridge, sitting or squatting as they slurped noisily.

The cook brought out a second pot, then a third—there was no fear of running short.

Liang Qu moved his small stool next to Liu Liu Shouping.

"Uncle Fu, how's my boat coming? Can it be done?"

The reason he could offer a hundred taels per boat was partly because the return was substantial.

Not to mention the remains of the demonic beasts the toad left behind, but even the boats it hoarded might contain something valuable.

And partly because the difficulty was immense.

Even a model riverboat, seven or eight meters long, was no small thing—it was fully enclosed and three-dimensional, far more complex than a typical covered skiff.

Every single plank had to be measured, cut, and riveted; building the whole vessel might require ten thousand planks or more—it was a true, meticulous craft, no simpler than building a house.

One man alone might take a year; with seven or eight apprentices helping, Liu Liu Shouping would still need to work by the month.

Liang Qu was not stingy—if the work was hard, he paid more; that was normal, and saving a few taels was pointless.

Liu Liu Shouping wiped his mouth: "I went home these past two days and sketched out plans—I think it's doable without submerging it. My apprentices have already started; we should have one ready before the Summer Solstice."

Liang Qu was delighted: "Then I'm counting on you, Uncle Fu, to give it your full attention."

Liu Liu Shouping nodded, but still felt odd: "Master, if this boat won't carry people, what's the point? Can you tell me the real reason? I'd like to understand."

"Ah, Uncle Fu, to be honest—I know a big shot out there who's obsessed with boats, especially fine ones. The more masts, the better he likes them.

But a real boat's too big and too valuable to keep at home, so he only plays with small ones—displayed indoors for pleasure. Whether it sails doesn't matter; it just has to look good. But it can't be too fragile—crumble at a touch? That won't do."

Liu Liu Shouping suddenly understood.

Nobles liked whatever they liked—it was normal. Some spent thousands of taels on a single coral branch; in past dynasties, emperors even fancied themselves carpenters.

Now that he understood the purpose, Liu Liu Shouping had a clearer idea.

"Alright, now I've got the picture! I'll revise the plans and guarantee you a seven- or eight-meter miniature riverboat before the Summer Solstice!"

"I trust your craftsmanship completely—how many households in Yixing City don't call on you to oversee their house-building?"

Liu Liu Shouping waved his hands: "Haha, just empty reputation, empty reputation."

After chatting with Liu Liu Shouping, Liang Qu moved his stool over to the bricklayers working on the water pool.

"Ah Brother Quan, Ah Jin, how did your trip to measure the fields go yesterday? Any news?"

Ah Brother Quan put down his bowl and chopsticks and sighed deeply.

"What's that look for? What happened?" Liang Qu had hoped to learn what the new county magistrate planned—this expression suggested something was off.

Ah Jin spoke up: "We measured the fields, but the higher-ups have no intention of redistributing land—only forcing those who evaded taxes to pay up, adding it to the county granaries. And I saw with my own eyes that several lords' fields weren't even fully measured!"

At these words, everyone nearby had something to say.

"Measuring the fields is pointless—it has nothing to do with us."

"I thought I might get back that plot at the east end, but it was all for nothing."

"You think all the lords are like Master Liang? Pfft—nine out of ten won't even spit out a bone; the tenth is busy cuddling his concubine!"

"Hey hey hey, don't talk like that," Liang Qu quickly cut in.

If they kept going, it would become inappropriate.

Everyone fell silent.

"So you mean they just want those riffraff to hand over their grain? But that won't amount to much, right?" Liang Qu asked.

"Who knows? Maybe the county magistrate finds even that little grain valuable."

"That's not fair to say—at least road repairs are real; many who couldn't eat are now working."

"Yeah, but rice prices keep rising—last year it was seven or eight cash per jin, now it's seventeen or eighteen. A dou costs three taels of silver—who can afford it? Soon I won't be able to either."

Liang Qu was puzzled: "Aren't grain shipments coming in from other places? Why is the price still so high?"

"Master, you're joking—those disaster relief rations won't last; they only ease the crisis temporarily. Until this year's rice harvest, I doubt the price will drop."

"Without the disaster grain, it might hit twenty-three or twenty-four cash per jin—that's already good."

Everyone sighed at this.

Ah Jin finished his last sip of porridge and put down his bowl: "I heard the new county magistrate is organizing a boat race—anyone can join, and the winners get cash prizes!"

"All show and no substance—we're too busy planting to race boats."

"True, but I heard from my neighbor's sister-in-law that the county office is nearly ready—tomorrow the new magistrate will make his grand entrance, lighting three fires."