Chapter 1456: Awakening, Repair (Two-in-One)

【Sacrificing to the Huaijiang, utmost orthodoxy of law and principle, heaven above and earth below, on land and in water, none fail to revere; River Favor +100】!

【Sacrificing to the Huaijiang, River Favor +78.8451】!

【Sacrificing to the Huaijiang, River Favor +74.7956】!

Fireballs rolled across the sky, two blazing suns shining upon heaven and earth, pure white in all directions.

Reeds encircled the lakeshore, gathering into a wall.

Liang Qu set down his wine cup.

The myriad people shouted in acclaim.

The vast river wind blew for ten thousand li, letting the summer heat expand and then pouring wholesale into the lung cavity, rolling away all the stale qi, cleanly expelling it.

The heaven-and-earth qi mechanism flowed incomparably smooth, following the course of the Huaijiang, as if in some unseen place another great river converged, gathering even more unfathomable things.

The Sage Emperor conversed enthusiastically with the Tusi and the Khan Kings.

The Wolf Lord and Li Daxian gazed into the distance, their expressions calm.

——

Li Xianghan stood on a rock in a white dress, arms crossed, hair at her temples flying, the very picture of a holy maiden, ethereal and immortal.

July 9th, from the eastern head of the Huaijiang to its western tail, twelve rounds of sacrifice.

【River Dominance: 48.9 (River Spring Favor: 84.4154)】.

An unprecedented height.

Fifty points of Dominance away from directly hooking up Wu Guo — only one point short.

Three days later, July 12th, the final round remaining, the gap will shrink to less than one point!

"What a pity————"

Liang Qu's gaze returned to center.

The trajectory of gaining Favor was exactly the same as last year; the sacrifices peaked at the fifth round, from the eighth round they fell below a hundred and gradually decayed, losing descriptors like "utmost orthodoxy of law and principle," leaving only pure sacrifice.

Thanks to the expansion in scale and improvement in quality of participants, even the most basic sacrifice yielded a notch higher.

A floor of seventy-odd per round, eighty-odd balance remaining now; next round a full hundred incremental advance would leave a fifty-point Favor balance, quite a bit less than the previous ninety points.

Favor caps at a hundred, no incremental advance; the excess self-dissipates, yet Favor has heaven-and-earth blessing while Dominance does not.

Like a fresh graduate living independently, earning three thousand a month, parents subsidizing three thousand, no worries about food and drink; two years later salary rises to four thousand, parental subsidy vanishes, household income up but personal quality of life down instead of up.

"Perhaps the three-party blessing really is one-time————"

Liang Qu pondered.

Reviewing the key points of Favor acquisition over the past two years, and the true Favor gain after the final ebb.

"The Sage Emperor, the Tusi, the Khan Kings, the Seven Overlords of the East Sea — they are themselves the concretization of certain symbols, representing the heads of a region; this is the so-called law and principle. When law and principle reach a certain degree, they hook into heaven and earth, forming heaven-and-earth resonance and grand harmony.

The whole process perhaps resembles the naturally born Dragon Lords, gradually shifting from wild to orthodox; and the blessing of law and principle is not everything, cannot be repeatedly farmed, hence it disappears after a few times — this is probably not once a year, but once a lifetime, unless a different individual is swapped in————

If the Tusi and the Great Khan left for the first few rounds, leaving only the Sage Emperor, it could be fully verified through Favor, but getting them to come is already no easy matter————"

The Great Hunt is the year after next; at most one more time, by then Chang You will have long since fully advanced————

"Great King, Great King, Lord Huo has returned!"

The hedgehog curled into a ball, purulu rolling down from the slope, shouting as it rolled.

"Yecha?"

"Yes! Lord Huo returned via the waterway, saying there is a discovery."

Liang Qu instantly discarded the matters at hand: "Quickly take me there!"

The hedgehog curled again, rolling to lead the way.

The sacrifice completed, the high platform at the port was dismantled.

The Wolf Lord, Li Daxian, and other Northern Court and Southern Border Yao Dragons stood on the peak; thinking this was the last trip, a trace of reluctance actually welled up in the depths of their hearts.

The Central Plains, the Northern Territories, the Southern Border — were it not for the Great Li Taizu facing a formidable enemy, when would there ever be such a harmonious scene of sharing a room.

Each other's realms were all top-tier; there were no more conflicts of interest, no need to guard against each other, no need to be wary of each other, sitting together exchanging cultivation insights.

From frugality to extravagance is easy, from extravagance to frugality hard; over a month of River God Festival, everyone unexpectedly experienced a few parts of the crucible's state of mind and attitude.

Furthermore————

With the Great Snow Mountain matter finished, per plan, next comes targeting the Netherworld, launching operations again; thinking of the Netherworld's ten-thousand-year accumulation, hundreds of Yao Dragons, heavy pressure piled on the heart; once action starts, with the Great Li Taizu's personality, there will be no chance to surrender in the future; the present time is probably the last leisure.

"Hah." "Suhebaru" exhaled a breath.

The Wolf Lord noticed, patting the Tiger King's shoulder: "No need to worry, you just advanced to Yao Dragon, future promising; if there truly is action, I won't let you be the vanguard."

"Suhebaru" shook his head: "Fearing calamity yet not avoiding righteous death, I do not fear that Great Li Taizu, I only hate that time does not wait for me, unable to die in service for the Khan King!"

"Good!" The Wolf Lord's eyes shone bright.

He had long garrisoned the Shuofang Platform, often guiding the Eight Beasts, truly half a master.

In the past what he regretted most among the Eight Beasts was Suhebaru, clearly brimming with talent, yet happened to encounter Zhang Longxiang, turning from "Fierce Tiger" into "Sick Tiger," growing ever more silent and reclusive, hard to befriend.

Now broken and rebuilt, enduring sixty years of frustration, how firm his Dao heart, the path of cultivation will surely surpass the past, future promising!

"Paying respects to the Great King!" Huo Zhao Hongyuan saw Liang Qu, dropped to one knee.

"Quick, quick, get up, no need for such formality." Liang Qu flashed forward, helped Huo Zhao Hongyuan up, "Scorching sun outside, hard work, hard work, no rush to speak, drink a mouthful of water first."

"Many thanks, Great King!" Huo Zhao Hongyuan dusty and weary, took the sea bowl, drank deeply in big gulps.

One gulp drained dry, placed onto the tray.

"No rush, another bowl."

Liang Qu suppressed his words, called for someone again.

Three bowls in a row like this, Huo Zhao Hongyuan's chapped lips moistened about enough, only then did Liang Qu raise a hand, signaling Huo Zhao Hongyuan to give his report.

Huo Zhao Hongyuan wiped his mouth corner, unexpectedly moved.

After starting to work under Liang Qu, he found his cultivation progressing smoothly, so he devoted himself to being a river-patrolling nightcrawler under Wang Shou, and felt no discomfort.

Although there had been minor rivalry in his youth, as the gap widened and Liang Qu proved easygoing, he did not fixate on trivial matters, life was unexpectedly comfortable, with no superiors to micromanage him, and he mainly reported directly to the hedgehog overseer.

Patrolling the rivers year-round, he specialized in settling all kinds of affairs.

When water beasts caused trouble, he killed them; when people caused trouble, he killed them; when nothing happened, he suppressed river bandits.

The only issue was that, as a martial examination graduate of the twenty-eight constellations from the imperial court, serving under a prince was somewhat irregular, but apparently no one came to cause trouble over it.

"Mission accomplished without disgrace. Your subordinate went to the imperial capital, carefully inquired about the time worm clues, then led troops to Mount Tianshan. As the king said, we successfully found the target. Given its great strength, we did not startle the snake, and Izhi Yu stationed troops there."

"Good, good, good!" Liang Qu exclaimed joyfully, "I thought it would take some time, but I didn't expect you to act so quickly!"

Indeed, even before suspecting, Liang Qu had sent Huo Zhao Hongyuan to search for it.

Nonsense. As the Prince of Huai, he possessed thirteen prosperous fiefdoms, countless capable subordinates, and outstanding graduates from the martial academy poured in yearly like dumplings. To find a "false great demon," did he need to go himself? With that effort, he might as well cultivate two more days and double his root sea.

Moreover, seeking things was not his forte; if truly needed, it would be better to ask the Purple Gold Tiqi Lingxuan.

Looking again at Huo Zhao Hongyuan, Liang Qu's heart swelled with appreciation for talent. What a diligent river-patrolling nightcrawler—hardworking, uncomplaining, and sufficiently capable.

"Minister Huo, are you about to enter Zhen Xiang?"

"Yes!" Huo Zhao Hongyuan's heart stirred.

When Huangzhou's Great Hunt dispersed and he met Liang Qu, he was already at the peak of Wolf Smoke. After many years, and with Liang Qu's employ making his cultivation inexplicably smooth—advancing a thousand miles a day—and after receiving the Huai Prince's special technique, directly refining the hundred meridians, by his thirties he had become a Hunting Tiger Peak of Unveiled Mystic Light and Refined Hundred Meridians, only one long breath away from grandmaster.

"Excellent. I am occupied with the River God Festival and cannot leave temporarily. Izhi Yu is resourceful, though his strength is lacking. Return quickly to support, and do not startle the snake.

Coincidentally, I currently have some superior long breaths on hand. After this matter, you may come to select one or two, or if you have other preferences, tell me likewise, and we can see if replacement is possible."

Huo Zhao Hongyuan exclaimed excitedly: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

His refusal to consume breath stemmed precisely from distress over lacking suitable long breath. The Huo family of Yunzhou was formidable, yet ultimately had only one who had entered Zhen Xiang, making the search for proper long breath extremely difficult!

Upon successful promotion, in his thirties, he could not match Bai Guangyi, but was not far behind.

After seeing off Huo Zhao Hongyuan, Liang Qu rubbed his hands and smiled.

"Home is where the heart is, and the guest bird longs for its old forest—indeed, you are in Mount Tianshan."

He merely guessed that way, and happened to guess correctly.

Even if wrong, Liang Qu would not panic.

He possessed the ultimate weapon: the Many-Treasure Great Demon.

If not for the old toad recently busy selling enlightenment, to his delight, Liang Qu would have used it.

"Mount Tianshan, three thousand floating islands, the time worm's homeland—never had the chance, but now I truly want to see what it's like——"

July 12th, clear skies and light clouds.

【Sacrificing to the Huaijiang River, River Favor Degree +71.5478】

【River Dominion Degree: 49.9 (River Spring Favor Degree: 55.9632)】!

Liang Qu gazed at the dominion degree, his mind divided, inner vision observing himself—seeing the second fairy island mostly repaired, nearly complete.

His entire being sank into tranquility.

That was a feeling.

Like soaking in a steaming hot spring, limbs lazily stretching, or like Eying sitting on him, leaning forward, her swollen chest naturally sagging under gravity, soft as cream melting on his face, bringing a drowning-like breath envelopement.

After years of busyness, the Ze Ling promotion is just one step away!

If he now surrendered the long right, he could even directly gather enough.

"Endure!"

Liang Qu abandoned thought, suppressed impulse.

Managing the Huangsha River likewise took years—cannot let prior efforts go to waste!

Fifty points plus sixty equals one hundred ten points.

Sixty points promote Ze Ling, leaving fifty points; whether one can hook another long right is uncertain, but one can certainly promote four more water beast demon kings—perfect, one big and four small!

What if?

A set of disaster realms, a set of dominion degrees—by then his trump cards will greatly increase!

Liang Qu there fantasized about the future.

Lan Jicai tinkered with formations, shuttling between the imperial capital, accelerating the gathering of Xuanhuang in the Heavenly Altar.

Wolf Lord and Da Dai now feel endless desolation.

One and a half months, a beautiful dream of universal harmony.

Ended.

Tusi and Khagan exhaled in relief.

Thirteen sacrifices—only the first few were interesting; later ones grew somewhat dull, more desiring something with a beginning and an end.

Knowing it was time to depart, only awaiting the Great Shun to grant the promised Xuanhuang breath, when someone came from afar, the Tusi and Khagan temporarily suppressed their thoughts.

The chief steward stepped forward to greet, silent, then presented to the Holy Emperor.

"Oh?" The Holy Emperor raised his brows, glanced at the Tusi and Khagan, and said with a smile, "It seems the Tusi and Great Khan need not rush to leave.

""

Wolf Lord and Da Dai immediately went on alert, staring at Zhang Longxiang and Liang Qu, who had rushed over after finishing the sacrifice.

The Khagan frowned: "How so?"

The Tusi remained composed: "We have been away for over a month; further delay would be improper. Surely the Holy Emperor has not forgotten our alliance's ultimate purpose? If any action is needed, preparation still requires time."

The Holy Emperor chuckled and shook his head: "I do not intend to dissuade, but wish to inform you two of something—perhaps upon learning it, you will voluntarily stay."

"What matter?"

"The Ge Zushi of Louguantai is about to awaken. Ge Daoist Priest estimates it will be in the next two days, inviting us to attend the ceremony. Do the Tusi and Khagan have interest in going together?"

The Tusi and Khagan were astonished; Wolf Lord and Da Dai looked intrigued.

Ge Zu!

Practitioner of the Yin-Yang Creation Method!

Practicing this method requires choosing a blessed land, eating nothing, drinking nothing, breathing nothing, hearing nothing, asking nothing, seeing nothing, listening to nothing, moving nothing, responding to nothing—burying oneself, seizing the creation of Yin and Yang twelve times.

Each awakening raises one rank, the position fruit condenses a fraction, upon perfection, achievement is simultaneous, twelve perfections, directly entering immortality!

Ge Zu of Louguan Tai has already become the supreme practitioner who has cultivated to the tenth awakening!

"I go, he's awake now?"

Liang Qu, who approached, was slightly startled. If he remembered correctly, Louguan Tai is on Lingxu Mountain in Heyang Prefecture, and Lingxu Mountain is precisely a branch of the Mount Tianshan range!

How coincidental, this isn't it—two trips combined into one.

I've long heard that the ancestral master of Louguan Tai would awaken, and during the Xuankong Temple period, I was already shouting about it, but there was never a definite time.

"It just so happens to be on the way—"

A heavenly method that could possibly cultivate the position fruit, even up to a great position fruit in one step.

At this critical moment, if we could win him over to jointly deal with the Great Li—

Liang Qu observed the reactions of Nanjiang and Beiting.

Without doubt.

"Good!"

The tusi and the khan directly agreed.

Even if it's just two days, having the chance to personally witness a stage breakthrough of a self-cultivated method, there's no reason not to go!

Among the entourage's juniors, many are tiger hunters, and there's even Langyan; they don't care about self-cultivation or not, hearing they could stay two more days and go to Mount Tianshan, they all cheered.

Mount Tianshan, the sun is vicious, in the tree shade the wild animals are exhausted from the heat, the time insects lie in the rocking chairs, shouting and yelling, the lead monkey king bares his canine teeth, suddenly a flash of golden light appears, the monkey king's body flickers, he smashes the tree trunk, breaks half his teeth, faints dead away, the remaining monkey troop falls silent as cold cicadas, shrinking back.

—

The time insect complacently touches his dragon horn, his arthropod finger points at the old monkey king.

You, go stir-fry two dishes!

The old monkey king points at himself, seeing the time insect's sharpness fully revealed, he shivers, hurries off to fetch firewood.

The time insect lies down comfortably.

The sea is wide for fish to leap, the sky is high for birds to fly.

Refreshing!

After scanning the monkey troop again, the time insect immediately takes a liking to a bald-toothed ugly monkey, his arthropod finger points.

The ugly monkey trembles all over, urged and driven by the surrounding monkeys, he half-crawls, half-walks over, on the yellow earth he rubs out a suspicious damp trace.

The time insect is not angry but delighted, a flash of golden light, he directly cuts a wooden board from the nearby tree, his arthropod draws, letting the ugly monkey hang it, personally bestowing a name.

The ugly monkey doesn't understand, he truly cannot read the characters, he honestly hangs the wooden board around his neck, praising the time insect for governing heaven and earth, bestowing him a name.

The time insect is complacent and delighted.

Night falls.

With the help of the waterways, Lan Ji Cai, who made a round trip from the imperial capital, jumps out of the water, according to the agreement dividing, he splits east and west into five parts, in turn giving to the khan, the tusi, with two parts remaining.

"Master Lan, this is—" Liang Qu gazes at the earthen jar before him, his heart filled with delight.

"Thirty strands of Xuanhuang, you and the Dragon-Elephant King both, each gets thirty strands." Lan Ji Cai explains.

"How much merit does this require?"

Lan Ji Cai shakes his head: "His Majesty previously ordered, no need to worry about merit, just treat it as an account."

"Good!" Liang Qu accepts without hesitation, neatly taking these thirty strands of vital energy.

As for exchanging merit, given the current situation, it means nothing—everything the Holy Emperor could give has already been given, the tusi and the great khan have done all they could to retain, what is needed is no longer judged by whether merit is sufficient, but directly "recorded in accounts", "put on tab", as long as the national treasury has it, under the premise of not affecting the overall situation, exchange if possible.

July 13.

The three parties travel by water route, winding to Heyang, the sails bulge, the treasure ship cuts through waves.

The otter sits cross-legged gazing at the Big Dipper, extends the single tube telescope, a tuft of brown hair on his head flutters in the wind.

Quiet chamber.

Liang Qu sits cross-legged in cultivation.

The inner root sea stops trembling, completely digests the thirty strands of Xuanhuang, Ju Mang radiates brilliantly.

This is not all.

Above the root sea, the Dragon Court Immortal Isle, the last shattered bricks and tiles are repaired, a touch of jade-white light flows and flickers throughout the body.

Liang Qu's eyes snap open, heaven and earth lose color, black lines violently tremble.

Second Immortal Isle, completely restored!