Chapter 1441: Supreme Embryo, Toad Embraces the Elixir (Two-in-One)

A frog croaks once, and all eyes turn, stealing every gaze. There are always some birds that cannot be caged, and always some frogs born to accomplish a great undertaking.

The lama looks up.

An arc is traced, crashing heavily to the ground; the earth trembles.

Broken walls collapse, dust billows and spreads, and everyone retreats in unison.

Wind blows past, the yellow dust mist gradually fades, and the blurred shadows slowly sharpen.

The fat fish lets its long whiskers hang, serene and unhurried, two hands cradling a flesh sphere, holding it high. The old toad sits atop the giant frog's head, one webbed foot forming a seal, the other waving a fan, frog eyes tightly shut.

The sun shines brilliantly, sunlight bathing all, gilding the two frog silhouettes — one large, one small — with a layer of golden radiance.

Solemn and dignified like a treasure image!

Lan Jicai sees that flesh sphere, senses a familiar Qi mechanism, glances at Bema; the Great Venerable Bema's face twists visibly, and Lan Jicai's mouth corners twitch.

"When still, no one can perceive it?" Liang Qu muses.

"When it flies, faster than light." Lan Jicai strokes his chin.

"Even face to face, it cannot be caught?" Zhang Longxiang continues the thread.

"Hahaha, hahaha!"

Liang Qu and Lan Jicai laugh until they double over; the Saint Emperor, the Khan King, and the Tusi involuntarily curve their mouths upward, then feel it unbefitting a ruler of a nation and force them back down.

Bema's eyes turn blood-red, he pants like an ox, the chains on his body tremble unceasingly, his whole being like a tiger gathering force — he lunges suddenly; Liang Qu 【Earth to Steel】, Zhang Longxiang lets out a cold snort, lifts his foot and stomps down!

Taut.

The iron chains pull straight, kicking up dust.

Surging giant force transmits from his neck; inertia halts instantly, Bema's neck screams in pain, his head nearly torn from his body, his back slams the ground, smashing a large pit; hair bristling with rage, five fingers grip mud into stone, he stares dead at the old toad.

The old toad waves his feather fan, raises his frog head high, frog eyes open a slit, eyeballs rolling left and right, pleased by the crowd's expressions, then opens them fully, glaring at Bema whose resentment is plain to see: "What are you looking at, never seen a handsome frog? Not a beauty, it's a beauty like the wind that a pretty girl can't keep — this frog."

The fat fish's twin whiskers poke repeatedly.

"Pfft!"

A mouthful of fresh blood spurts out; Bema wilts.

Two stones fall from his palm, emitting heat and condensing mist.

"National Preceptor, this is the Supreme Embryo?" Liang Qu bows and steps forward, finger pointing at the flesh sphere.

The old toad's face shows self-satisfaction: "Naturally. This thing actually runs on its own; this Duke spent ten days just to find it. Among all treasures under heaven, it is also a unique class."

"I thought it would be a complete body; didn't expect it to actually be a flesh sphere." Lan Jicai exclaims in wonder.

Liang Qu's eyes flicker slightly.

He also thought it would be a complete body — Lao Mengyao would have to come out with a changed gender; looking at it now, it resembles modeling clay in spirit, and in appearance seems like it can be kneaded at will?

"Is there only one Supreme Embryo?" Zhang Longxiang asks.

Bema's spirit revives; his whole person seems to have found spiritual support again.

The old toad shakes his head: "There are still two more; will take some effort, not too long. You take this one first; the remaining two, this Duke will web-capture them. No-foot frog, let's go!"

Where there is one, there is two.

Bema shudders all over, once more clutching his head in pain, doubting himself.

Liang Qu steps forward and embraces the flesh sphere, experiencing the astonishing vitality within.

Clearly a "dead object," yet it contains an extraordinarily vibrant Qi mechanism.

The flesh sphere struggles in his hands; the struggling force is not great, but Liang Qu has a premonition — Bema wasn't boasting; this thing might truly slip through one's fingers, leaving dust behind, as fast as light.

Don't know how the old toad caught it.

The Tusi and the Khan King both stare fixedly at the flesh sphere; they know the news of the Supreme Embryo — it is said to have fused countless martial bones of the world, condensed into form, the number one bone under heaven. Though they cannot think of a use for the moment, such an item, even used for alchemy, is an excellent material.

Then comes envy; long heard that the Jianghuai Frog Duke is out of the ordinary; seeing once surpasses hearing a hundred times; reality is even more exaggerated than the legends.

How come all good things fall to Great Shun, and they even collect such a heaven-and-earth exotic species for their own use?

"Guahahaha! No-foot frog, let's go!"

Cold wind brings coolness.

Having grandly displayed his prowess before everyone, letting all know the National Preceptor's ability, the old toad is complacent and high-spirited, swaying his big belly, grabbing A-Fei's long whiskers, turning direction, like a knight riding out on campaign.

The fat fish bends its legs, about to make a great leap ————

People come and go; the Qintianjian and the Ministry of Works cooperate continuously; one after another, the Upshi are dragged out after their Qi mechanisms are identified, uniformly categorized.

"Bang."

An Upshi kneels, knees smashing two earth pits; fresh blood resonates with the Dark Buddha.

The old toad suddenly yanks back the long whiskers; the fat fish's mouth hurts badly, it raises its head in confusion.

The old toad freezes atop the fat fish's head, expression dull and blank.

This scene arrives abruptly.

"National Preceptor?" Liang Qu probes, "Something else?"

The old toad's whole body shudders, a violent shiver runs through him. Immediately after, under everyone's incredulous gaze, the old toad soars into the air, swaying unsteadily — he flies up!

Liang Qu blanks for a moment.

No way.

The old toad can fly?

Treading the void is a Flood Dragon's method. The old toad is merely a great yaoguai — equivalent to Entering Zhen Xiang among human cultivators; for Entering Zhen Xiang to fly requires extra means; previously it would absolutely be impossible!

Frog ponders?

Under the crowd's astonished gazes, the old toad floats in midair, rising and falling from the fat fish's head, tracing an arched arc, drifting to the ground; the whole frog like it's drunk, swaying unsteadily, unable to stand firm, center of gravity completely inconsistent with the descending webbed feet.

Liang Qu completely doesn't understand; observing closely, there seems to be some special "scent" attracting the old toad; the old toad's entire frog follows that "scent."

Everyone is baffled, yet feels the old toad doing this must have its reason.

In the Lotus Sect — is there a Supreme Body left behind?

The two stared at each other, not daring to stop, eyes wide as they watched the old toad run out, run into the main hall, and leap headfirst into the Dark Buddha's deep pit.

"Could it be — "

Liang Qu had a suspicion, his heart jumped, and he hurriedly followed behind the old toad.

At the edge of the broken wall, the scene in the pit became visible.

As expected.

"National Preceptor! This can't be eaten! It can't be eaten!"

Liang Qu was greatly startled, lunged forward, descended from the sky, and grabbed the old toad's thick waist with both arms, throwing it to the ground and pulling backward.

"Ribbit!" The old toad woke with a start, flailed its limbs to crawl out, shouting loudly, "Treasure, my treasure!"

"National Preceptor, that's not your treasure, it's everyone's treasure!"

"Ribbit! I saw it, it's mine, all of it is mine!"

The old toad lifted its head and croaked loudly, straining to extend its webbed claws to reach and grab. Directly facing it, behind the Dark Buddha, at the carved five viscera and six bowels, a small golden snake shimmered with auspicious clouds, hissing and flicking its tongue.

The distance between them was less than three feet.

Yet this one-meter distance was a heavenly chasm!

The old toad strained its legs, frog-kicked, stuck out its tongue, lost its wits, went mad, and gave its all. Liang Qu pulled hard from behind, like pulling a radish, or like when he was a child catching frogs, reaching out and slapping — the frog in the palm of his hand and the crack in the mud strained hard against each other.

Frog-kick, frog-kick, frog-kick!

The Holy Emperor, the Tribal Leader, and the Khan King fell into deep thought.

"I've heard of the Jianghuai Frog Lord, avoiding misfortune and seeking fortune — its status is indeed the world's supreme treasure. Today, seeing it, it truly is extraordinary, so precise." The Tribal Leader sighed.

The Khan King nodded.

Hearing is false, seeing is true — among the myriad treasure-seeking oddities under heaven, none can compare to the Frog Lord.

The Holy Emperor's eyes flashed, feeling he had grasped something, yet unable to find the right words, he glanced left and right at the Tribal Leader and the Khan King.

The old toad still wailed mournfully: "There are so many treasures in the world, I alone lack this one! Treasure, my treasure!"

The toad's croaking filled the air, and the three-direction research personnel halted their work, standing still to watch.

It seemed as if the words truly echoed, just as everyone thought it was funny.

An accident occurred.

The small snake inside the Dark Buddha's five viscera moved on its own!

Auspicious clouds swirled, the small snake coiled, and extended its head.

Like drawing a bow and releasing an arrow, the snake's body stretched, instantly transforming into a stream of light, rushing straight toward the old toad!

"Not good!"

Liang Qu and Zhang Longxiang's pupils dilated, they reached out to stop it, and the Wolf Lord and Lady Dai from not far away likewise sprinted over.

Yet the auspicious white platinum snake, formed from the convergence of Ji Xiang Ru Yi, moved at an astonishing speed — swift as lightning, so fast that no one could react, only able to watch wide-eyed as it pierced through the encirclement of Zhang Longxiang and Liang Qu, shooting straight at the old toad.

The old toad opened its huge mouth and gulped it down with an "Ah-oh!"

"Gloop!"

The lower jaw bulged, then flattened.

"Burp!"

The old toad licked the corner of its mouth, rubbed its belly, and let out a belch like drinking chilled sparkling water on a summer day — stomach full of gas, bubbles surging forth, a refreshing and satisfying fullness, and it sat down contentedly on the ground.

Lan Jicai was stunned.

The researchers from Nanjiang and Beiting were stunned.

The Wolf Lord and Lady Dai froze in place.

The Khan King's mind went blank, he flashed forward, pried open the toad's mouth, and reached in to feel around.

"Ugh!"

The old toad retched, vomited up its lunch, and two undigested small fish jumped on the ground.

The Khan King was unwilling to give up, directly half-submerging his body into the toad, the Wolf Lord hesitated, not feeling comfortable stepping forward to dissuade.

Stomach acid and rotten odor surged up, the Khan King was completely covered in slime, he grabbed the stomach and pulled it out again.

The stomach fell to the ground, no matter how the Khan King and the Wolf Lord searched.

Nothing, nothing at all, only food remnants.

In this short while, the nine hundred and eighty long qi had been digested?

The Khan King stared blankly: "Gone, the nine hundred plus long qi are gone? Is the Position Fruit gone?"

The Tribal Leader's mind went blank.

Position Fruit.

Such a great Transfer Position Fruit.

Gone?

Only the Holy Emperor, his mind continually sparked with inspiration.

"Gloop."

The old toad swallowed the stomach again, continued rubbing its belly, its face beaming with happiness, its whole body actually emitting visible auspicious clouds like the white platinum snake.

The stomach came out and went in, back and forth, Liang Qu wasn't too worried — frogs all vomit their stomachs, eat something toxic, vomit the stomach, clean out the contents, then swallow it back. He had seen Dapang and Erpang do this several times, the fat fish wanted to learn but failed, becoming a stain on frog life.

But where did the long qi go? Can this thing really be digested?

Liang Qu struggled with what to say, helped the old toad a bit, a flicker in his peripheral vision, he slightly turned his head, saw the Holy Emperor making eyes at him, first glanced left and right at the Tribal Leader and the Khan King, then his expression changed, and he shouted loudly.

"Huai Wang, Longxiang Wang! This concerns the Position Fruit — what are you doing? You can't even stop this?"

Zhang Longxiang felt ashamed.

Liang Qu's mind raced wildly as he looked toward the Tusi and the Khan, roughly grasping a glimmer of insight, though unclear, he immediately admitted fault: "Your servant knows his mistake."

"What use is knowing your mistake? That is a position fruit! Can you compensate for it? Or is it the Ape King?"

Ape King?

A glimmer of insight.

The fuzzy train of thought instantly cleared.

"Do not seek the Ape King!" Liang Qu shouted loudly, "Your Majesty, now that a great enemy is before us, we three sides should unite with the Ape King wholeheartedly—how can we cause internal strife?"

Zhang Longxiang's expression shifted slightly as he began to ponder.

"The Ape King is your brother; your fortunes are intertwined. Now the Toad Lord has swallowed over nine hundred vital breaths, and the loss falls upon me, the Tusi, and the Khan!" The Sacred Emperor's face darkened.

Liang Qu gritted his teeth: "Your Majesty, Khan, Tusi, matters have come to this—this might actually be a good thing."

"A good thing?" The Khan and Tusi turned their heads, their resentment plainly visible.

"It is!" Liang Qu pressed on, explaining: "Forgive my bluntness—if not for the Great Li, this position fruit would be a coveted prize among warriors, with ample foundation and extraordinary power. But fate has it otherwise—there is the Great Li, and we three sides, and even the threat of the Great Li Taizu!

Since there is a threat, this position fruit, no matter who takes it, will serve no great purpose! For it is an immortal! Even three or four immortals—what would they fear from a middle position fruit? One middle position fruit can only be the icing on the cake.

But if the Toad Lord possesses it, joining forces might, on the level of fate, possibly suppress the Great Li Taizu! Exert maximum effect! Just now everyone saw—though the Toad Lord indeed came seeking, in the end it was that little snake who actively came to surrender!

The vital breaths are spiritual and need not be said—when have any of you seen the vital breaths actively choosing a person? No, a toad? There must be some unspeakable heavenly principle, in the dark unseen, to let our alliance gain wings like a tiger! Furthermore, now that we are allies, whatever you need, simply seek the Toad Lord—the Toad Lord is even freer."

Huang Zhong Da Lü.

The Khan and Tusi felt their heads buzz, the Sacred Emperor showed a hint of surprise, sinking into thought.

Liang Qu seized the moment to press his advice: "Earlier the Toad Lord could already match blows with immortals—if he gains the Auspicious Ruyi, needless to say more; besides, the deed is done, the Khan also failed to find the vital breaths again in the Toad Lord's belly. Those who abandon me—yesterday's day cannot be retained; the two sovereigns are not the type to wallow in self-pity. Rather than complain, accept reality and make good use of it? Do not cause chaos, lest you fall into the enemy's scheme."

Zhang Longxiang suddenly understood completely, glancing at Liang Qu, the Sacred Emperor, then at the Tusi and Bei Ting.

He understood, he realized.

The three sides allied, the precious position fruit only one.

Auspicious Ruyi, such authority—everyone wants it, yet giving it to anyone is not entirely justified.

Great Shun could take it, but afterward there would surely need to be compensation from elsewhere—land, or ritual, or various inheritances, the cost absolutely not small, even Nanjiang and Bei Ting might remain dissatisfied—this is a major taboo in alliances!

If the Old Toad takes it, the situation is entirely different.

The Sacred Emperor rebuked the Bai Yuan, to divide Jianghuai out, making it a fourth power beyond Great Shun, Nanjiang, and Bei Ting! First, cut it off!

The Bai Yuan, infinitely close to the Water Lord, also has this ability to become a fourth power!

But——

Liang Qu is the Bai Yuan!

Liang Qu is a monkey turned into a man, the Bai Yuan is a man turned into a monkey.

Going along with the mistake, indirectly leaving the Auspicious Ruyi position fruit in Great Shun—even if compensating Nanjiang and Bei Ting afterward, the cost would not be as low as simply leaving it there.

Liang Qu's earlier words even made considerable sense—Multibao Toad, seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, when he broke through to a great demon in the past, filtered through the netherworld, then set up a great formation, afterward nearly failed to slay a host of Martial Saints, dealing with the Fifth Immortal—truly playing with things in the palm of his hand.

If this is obtaining the Auspicious Ruyi——

But did Liang Qu comprehend that so quickly?

Zhang Longxiang likewise saw the Sacred Emperor's glance, but at the time he did not quite understand—Liang Qu seemed to have grasped it immediately——

"Burp!"

The Old Toad let out a full belch, his body warm and cozy, his face beaming with laughter, hehehe, limbs contracting, curling into a ball as he rolled past the Tusi and Khan's faces.

The Tusi and Khan's faces were grim, yet they understood Liang Qu's words were indeed reasonable.

The deed is done.

Only the Old Toad can exert maximum effect.

The Sacred Emperor full of remorse and regret, took hold of the Tusi and Khan's arms: "My Great Shun and the Ape King are on good terms; this time the Huai King invited the Toad Lord to assist, this incident occurred—not my wish, but I am also willing, for the sake of the three sides' harmony, to make compensation—just treat it as if my Great Shun had taken it."

The faces of the Nanjiang and Bei Ting people improved considerably.

"Burp!"

Another belch.

Everyone looked again at the Old Toad, finding that now the Old Toad, aside from his body wreathed in auspicious clouds, the toad itself grew ever more "radiant golden light," though the belching and choking grew ever more frequent.

The Old Toad went from a face of happiness to gradually looking distressed, finally clutched his throat, as if choked, continuously patting the ground.

"National Preceptor?" Liang Qu immediately stepped forward to help the Old Toad regulate his breath.

The Old Toad's face flushed red, gradually as if suffocating, he began to struggle, started rolling all over the ground.

"National Preceptor!" Everyone panicked, turning to Liang Qu, utterly at a loss what to do.

The Old Toad harbors supreme skill—though swallowing the vital breaths was heinous, he is a wondrous treasure in the yin-yang confrontation, and must not be choked to death here.

Until the Old Toad's toad head rose up.

"Gurgle!"

A great choke, a pale gold round smooth pearl, naturally flowed from the Old Toad's great mouth!

The Khan and Tusi widened their eyes, immediately sensing something different: "Position fruit?"

The Sacred Emperor secretly thought it not good.

Lan Jicai was shocked.

The refinement of the vital breaths hasn't even begun—lacking dozens of threads, and this just came out directly? Does the Multibao Toad still have this ability?

The pearl fist-sized, rolling round, like a pearl, its smooth surface covered with auspicious cloud patterns, resembling a Nine-turn Golden Elixir.

Just by gazing at the auspicious clouds, everyone felt refreshed in heart and mind, thoughts connected, good fortune coming.

The Khan overjoyed beyond expectation, wanted to reach out and grab it, but the pearl had spirit, dodged on its own—under everyone's gaze, the pearl directly transformed, stretched, not turning back into the little snake, but becoming a————pale gold little dragon!

Liang Qu flicked his sleeve, the Third Prince poked out his head, shocked by the golden dragon horn atop the little dragon's head.

The white platinum little dragon coiled in midair, formless and substance-less, passing through countless palms, coiling atop the Old Toad's head.

"Gwa!"