Chapter 1406

"How is it? It's not yet December, there are still three days—do you want to wait another day?"

"We can't wait any longer—one or two days' divination might differ, but time waits for no one; the situation is such that the later it gets, the greater the chance of disaster."

Liang Qu stared at the copper plates on the table.

The divination could be said to have turned a corner—each reading consumed six copper plates. As a fisherman of poor origins, how could he bear such expense?

Four yin, two yang—still ominous, but in any case better than all yin.

The weather was overcast, at least without violent storms.

Set sail!

The old toad flicked its large webbed feet, cheerfully scooping up the copper plates on the table.

"Should I go down?" Zhang Longxiang asked.

"I fear I must go back on my word—plans cannot keep up with changes. I had wanted to brave the world together with the Dragon Elephant King, but now I can only minimize flaws."

"Good—if you need support anywhere, just say the word."

"No need—I can't bring much in anyway. I'll go check on Ying Tian."

In the quiet chamber, "Su Heba Lu" sat with eyes closed in cultivation. Compared to seven days ago, his aura had surged markedly. If the people of Bei Ting saw him, they would surely be terrified to an unknown degree.

Upon encountering Zhang Longxiang, the fierce tiger became a sickly tiger.

Yet, due to the most basic political and military needs, under various propaganda, Su Heba Lu had already become a spiritual totem.

For seven full days, every two hours, Liang Qu came to elevate him once—twelve-hour sessions without pause. At the same time, each day he consumed one blood treasure. Lao Ying Tian only felt as if soaking in hot springs, his soul growing stronger each day.

Supreme blood treasures—even in a first-rank sect, there are few in stock, at most two or three, exceedingly precious. Liang Qu wagered he had earned seventeen in total, using about half on Lao Ying Tian—nearly the essence of two and a half first-rank sects, to nurture a minor fifth realm.

The physical realm flowed backward into the soul; the blood furnace as anchor, Gou Mang sealed the physical realm from falling, and the blood treasure provided energy to nourish the soul.

"Remarkable effect."

Liang Qu felt moved each time he looked—Lao Ying Tian's inner aura had actually reached Tianren level within seven days!

The realms of Tianren Heyi and Tongtian Juedi were now formally involved. Even if he returned to Bei Ting now, he need no longer worry about realm regression. With a five-thousandfold qi sea, he was also a true hero of the Bei Fang Tai, resounding and mighty.

E Ying and Long Chen now comprehend Tianren Heyi daily but have not truly entered it. Lao Ying Tian's progress is astonishing—beyond imagination.

I thought it would take a year and a half. For this, Liang Qu could only think of one possibility—Lao Ying Tian must have been extraordinary in his past life!

Perhaps he has completed Entering Zhen Xiang, or even reached the higher Yaolong.

To be so young and become a second-rank disciple of the Tianhuo Sect through one's own effort—already extraordinary.

"The underworld as fate" enshrouded—coming to the yang world, breaking free from fate, unrestricted, nourished by supreme blood treasures, leaping back to true level?"

"Huh? Elder?" Lao Ying Tian opened his eyes, joy in his gaze.

Liang Qu nodded: "I must take on a mission—I'll have no time to elevate you further."

Lao Ying Tian felt slight regret, yet remained content: "Don't worry, Elder—I now lack nothing. As a Tianren Sect Master, even returning to the underworld, I could serve as a minor elder."

"No, you lack—you lack greatly!" Liang Qu interrupted Lao Ying Tian, finally leaving him three supreme blood treasures: "You are already at the threshold—begin Tianren Heyi and Tongtian Juedi. Better to accomplish it in one deed."

Lao Ying Tian's Adam's apple rolled: "Elder means————"

Liang Qu reached out and pressed Lao Ying Tian's shoulder, shouting low.

"Still your breath, focus your spirit, remember the feeling—Third Prince!"

"Here it comes, here it comes!"

Icy tendrils grew, touching within—Lao Ying Tian felt from flesh to soul, his whole body turn cold, then immediately followed by a blazing wave surging forth.

Tianren Heyi, Tongtian Juedi!

"I cannot help you lift the Heavenly Gate—lastly, I help you condense a strike, charge forward! Hope to see you again, able to see the stone in your river!" You are the Tiger King!"

Shouts rang in his ears—icy tendrils filled his limbs and bones, the blood furnace heated, the small lid vibrated and jumped.

Lao Ying Tian's essence, energy, and spirit suddenly condensed, his physical strength rose a layer—finally, his vision darkened, the sound in his ears blurred rapidly.

"May the wind be at your back—go forth, Tiger King!"

"Wuhu!"

The Third Prince swallowed Lao Ying Tian whole; the white dragon flicked its tail, dove into the waterway, like a toilet flushing, rushed into the Eastern Sea in one breath, then borrowed the demon king's territory, winding northward, flying back to Bei Ting.

Lao Ying Tian held his breath, focused his spirit, circulated his cultivation method—only to feel his power unprecedentedly abundant and exalted. Invisibly, heaven and earth became like chains, entwining his whole body, hindering his advance.

The five-thousandfold qi sea within him and his powerful flesh roared in unison, intending to shake off this shackle.

Sixth realm, sixth realm, sixth realm!

Already as good as dead—what more is there to lose?

At worst, fail to break the gate, suffer only heavy injury.

Bei Ting will heal, the Great Khan will produce precious medicines.

"Ah!!!"

"National Preceptor! Are you ready?"

"Where is the scepter?"

"The scepter is here!"

"Ready."

"Let's go!"

Boom—

The Huangsha River trembled, wind and waves ceased.

Sinan glanced left and right, slightly hesitant.

The light shifted abruptly—the sun moved from lowest to highest, then sank upon the river surface, golden light shimmering. The otter lifted the rinse water, walked out of the cabin, and poured it into the Huangsha River.

Sinan's delicate, beautiful brows gradually furrowed together.

The blood river wandered—Liang Qu crouched in the Hong Guo, curled into a ball, restraining his qi like a stubborn stone, daring not to step out, fearing that if he exposed himself, a towering man in dark ceremonial robes and crown would coldly snort, and one punch would turn him into blood mist.

It's not that I'm afraid of dying, mainly I'm afraid Eying and Gan Niang and them will be sad.

—

"Frog Duke, how?"

The old toad wore a jeweled crown on his head, held a scepter in his hand, turned in a circle, indeed imposing and dignified, with a lofty bearing, shaking the black tortoise shell, six copper plates spurted out tortoise shells, falling to the ground.

Splish-splash.

Four positive, two negative.

The old toad raised the scepter high: "Can come out!"

Liang Qu then jumped out of the Marsh State, plunged into the Blood River, and looked again at the southeast, northwest of heaven and earth.

"National Master, southeast, northwest, which way can we go?"

Splish-splash.

The scepter pointed east.

Liang Qu went east to find a village, asked a couple of questions, confirmed his location, he seemed to be walking a flight chess, breaking down each step, all waiting for the old toad to roll the dice to decide.

"Frog Duke, I want to go to the Tianhuo Sect, is it safe?"

Splish-splash.

Liang Qu's pupils contracted, six negative, no positive!

The old toad shouted loudly.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"What about the Dragon King's Lair?"

Six negative, no positive.

"Eh, not allowed, not allowed."

"Shuyu Pavilion? River God Sect? Great Enlightenment Temple?" Liang Qu's heart sank deeper, he reported three place names in succession.

The old toad vigorously shook the black tortoise shell.

Five negative, one positive, four positive, two negative, five positive, one negative.

"Eh?"

Liang Qu stared at these three hexagrams, feeling a bit puzzled, rubbing his chin to the bald skin, thinking back and forth, yet he did not choose the Great Enlightenment Temple, but went to the River God Sect.

Liang Qu's vigilance came precisely because the old toad suddenly came to find him, but the old toad, having found him halfway, actually forgot why he came, which is quite unusual.

Heavenly secrets can indeed be shielded, the four corners' heavenly instruments developed generation after generation, can indeed influence divination, let alone the enemy's divination results, even such things as a sudden whim can influence, in the past the old toad who hadn't broken through to great demon could not even calculate the flood dragon.

The heavenly secrets are not impossible to shield; the celestial instruments developed across the ages can influence divination, let alone the enemy's divination results—even a sudden whim can affect it. In the past, even the old toad that failed to break through to great demon could not accurately calculate the flood dragon.

Liang Qu, who had been wits and courage against the air, ran to the River God Sect, then divined another hexagram to see if he could find Shen Zhongliang, finding it possible, Liang Qu did not rush to meet, first went to sneak a glance at the oil pot bathing, the horse-bit, the pigsty's simple Chinese meaning, seeing him still there, he was instantly delighted.

"Sect Master!" Shen Zhongliang rejoiced, "Sect Master, you've left seclusion?"

"Hmm, some gains, no need for flattery, any major matters lately?" Liang Qu vigilantly scanned his surroundings, then found a stone to sit down.

"Major matters?" Shen Zhongliang stunned, "No major matters have occurred in the sect up and down."

"Major matter?" Shen Zhongliang froze, "Nothing major has happened in the sect up and down."

Shen Zhongliang's heart tightened, he hurriedly checked back what he had recently done, then immediately heard.

"Not just inside the sect, outside too? Tianhuo Sect, Shuyu Pavilion and such?"

Shen Zhongliang understood, it wasn't aimed at himself, he immediately let out a breath, though he always felt the Sect Master was strange, constantly looking around, as if searching for something.

"Outside major matters — also nothing major, oh, the banditry in the northwest was eliminated, that is, the previous group that looted a wave from Jiuyi Mountain, caused quite a stir, even the first-rank sect Long Hu Pavilion took action, yet failed to capture.

Later there was Beidou Valley, result two first-rank sects didn't exterminate, the disturbance grew larger, many second-rank sects were dazed, but a month ago, that banditry suddenly vanished, then Beidou Valley and Long Hu Pavilion declared, the banditry is removed, unknown if true or false, this past month indeed nothing happened."

Later came Beidou Valley, and in the end, neither of the two first-rank sects was eradicated, the trouble grew larger and larger, many second-rank sects were left dazed, but a month ago, the bandit trouble suddenly vanished, and then Beidou Valley and Long Hu Ge declared the bandit trouble eliminated—whether true or false, nothing has indeed happened this past month."

Liang Qu's pupils contracted and dilated.

Others don't know, he doesn't know either?

The northwest banditry is the Guimu Sect, Chu Wang this time truly dead and gone?

The northwestern bandit trouble is the Guimu Sect—did the Chu King really kick the bucket this time?

So much stolen goods still not taken, a blood loss.

Is it that the Great Li Taizu truly awakened? But if truly awakened, again not likely, the world is his creation, like observing lines on the palm, that I came in, should not fail to notice, right?

"This month's cultivation provisions given to my disciple sent over yet?"

"Just about to send." Shen Zhongliang bowed, "One delivery per month, just at month-end, should be sending next month's now, currently should be on the way, estimated halfway."

"Just about to send it." Shen Zhongliang bowed, "Sent once a month, just at month-end, preparing to send next month's, should be on the road now, probably halfway there."

Liang Qu waved his hand, letting the bewildered Shen Zhongliang retreat: "On this trip I still need to enter seclusion, just came out to understand the situation, you must not tell others."

Liang Qu waved his hand, letting the bewildered Shen Zhongliang withdraw: "I still need to go into seclusion on this trip—just came out to check the situation, don't tell anyone else."

Liang Qu sat on the stone for half a day, rose and vanished.

"Still no news?"

Young person's shadow sat cross-legged on the furnace, Fei Taiyu, Wu Lingxu, spirits alert, held breath, lowered head, dared not answer.

"Hah, though sleeping a hundred years, indeed caused such a great change, a second-rank disciple, an elder, such a big person, disappeared and no one knows, waiting for Your Majesty to truly awaken, you two probably still want to come claim credit?"

"Hah, but after sleeping a hundred years, you actually caused such a huge upheaval—a second-rank disciple, an elder, such a big person, vanished without anyone knowing. When Your Majesty truly awakens, you two probably won't even need to come claim credit."

"Forget it, considering you're also for Wang Chao, with good intentions.

Fei Taiyu, Wu Lingxu let out a breath.

Exchanging a glance, Wu Lingxu tentatively asked: "Then now, how to handle? That Elder Yu's sect still has one or two rank sects, two personal transmission disciples, guarding Shuyu Pavilion, should we eliminate together?"

"No matter, all are just jumping clowns." The shadow coldly snorted, barefoot, step by step treading down the crimson furnace, "Since it's openly and honorably flowing upstream, you have no reason to eliminate, wouldn't that be slapping the face of my Tianhuo Sect?"

"It matters not; they are but jumping clowns." The figure sneered, barefoot, stepping one step at a time onto the crimson furnace, "Since I have come upstream openly and aboveboard, for you to eliminate me without cause — would that not be a slap to my Heavenly Fire Sect's face?"

Since it has stepped inside, it is already a turtle in a jar; in this realm of heaven and earth, every flower and bird, in the eyes of the Second Will, is as clear as fire, patterns seen on the palm.

After a month of searching with no trace, it is nothing but hiding in the Dragon King's Cave. As you said, it often secludes itself, so it likely made contact early, learned the truth, and whether it comes out or not remains unknown—no need to further drain Your Majesty's energy.

And your so-called courting, in its eyes, is utterly ridiculous and laughable; the so-called increase in strength is probably just the old Dragon Lord giving it essence and blood, which it cannot dig out itself, so it seeks others to help dig—nothing but wasted effort.

Wu Lingxu and Fei Taiyu were both embarrassed and angry.

Having lived so long, only to be led around by a monkey.

Moreover, they were forced to continuously activate the Second Will for a month, searching this realm, finding nothing—such consumption may well make Your Majesty sleep several extra days, truly a disgrace.

"If that monkey appears, what should we do? Should we capture it?"

"Notify me."

Fei Taiyu and Wu Lingxu startled: "That person is only at the third rank————"

"Notify me!" the young man coldly snorted, "I don't want to say it twice."

"Yes!"

"Your Majesty will soon awaken; your urgent task is, within one year, to awaken the remaining ten core elders, gather all twelve, delay not a moment, so that we may again communicate with the Lotus Sect, learn the state of the mortal world, and welcome Your Majesty, welcome the present-day Immortal, in full readiness."

"As you command!"

Great Awakening Temple.

"How strange, so magnificent."

Liang Qu poked his head around.

This Great Awakening Temple is actually more magnificent and imposing than the Hanging Temple, with buildings stretching endlessly, a brilliant golden bell hanging in the hollowed mountain interior, bald monks running all over the mountain.

"National Preceptor, how is it? Can we enter?"

"Mmm————"

"Donor————"

—

Liang Qu's whole body broke out in goosebumps, left hand gripping the Hongsha Authority, right hand pinching the Five-Party Disk, he suddenly turned around, and thereafter————

"Master Huizhen!?"

Huizhen smiled and nodded, glanced at Liang Qu's left and right hands, his eyelids twitched, like a needle on the back: "The Great Awakening Temple has the Bright Mirror Platform; any living person who enters will be discerned, let alone the donor—fortunately, today the poor monk is on duty, so I detected it in advance."

"Hiss."

Frog bullhide!

"That————"

Huizhen raised his hand and produced a blank blood treasure, identical to the one he previously showed Liang Qu.

"If the donor uses this item first, I can then register the donor as a visitor."

"But————" Liang Qu felt torn; having an identity is naturally good, but he is a black household, and the Heaven Fire Sect knows this—gaining a legal identity outright————

"Donor, stop thinking of sneaking through; the Fifth Will has already awakened, and recently the Second Will was used to search this realm—your actions may already be exposed, but using this item, you might still bluff for a while."

Fifth Will?

Second Will?

You monk, spouting nonsense—what are you babbling? I can't understand a word.

Are you making up new words to deceive me?

But thinking of the old toad's continuous half-month of ominous signs————

Liang Qu crushed the "certificate."

Huizhen nodded: "I will first take you to meet several people."

"Meet people?" Liang Qu became alert again.

The forest path into the temple, passing through tree shade, crossing the stream.

Before the thatched hut, free-range chickens ran all over the courtyard, everywhere were brownish-yellow-green chicken droppings.

The Chu King was stunned.

Liang Qu stopped.

Both men opened their eyes at the same time.

"Chu King, you're not dead?"

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