Chapter 1458: Liang Zu, Ge Zu (Two-in-One)

"Liang Zu, good!"

"Disciple Wang Chong pays respects to Liang Zu!"

"Liang Zu, disciple————"

"Martial Uncle Liang, this is your residence. The back mountain is a secluded place, guarded by disciples in layers; people won't easily come to disturb. There are sixteen rooms large and small in total, five cultivation rooms. The mountain peak behind belongs to the Dao Master; the front-left belongs to Daoist Priest Jian Hong."

Liang Qu nodded: "Enough to live in. Not many people on my side."

"If there's anything you need or any matter, just give the order. We're in the small courtyard next door. There are rope bells in the cultivation rooms; pull one and we'll get the message too."

"Troubling you."

"You flatter me. Martial Uncle Liang has returned home; arranging a residence is only right. Where's the talk of 'troubling'?" The blue-robed disciple respectfully performed the rites, bade farewell to both sides, retreated backwards to the threshold, turned, and left.

Ta Ta led a crowd of river otters to swarm in, each kicking open a door and swaggering inside to tidy the bedding.

"Strange, Boss, the people of Lou Guan Tai are too enthusiastic." The Third Prince climbed in and out of the window, holding the fresh fruit from the table in amazement.

"Liang Martial Uncle————" Xu Zishuai's mouth twitched. "Then what does that make Master? The Supreme Elder?"

As the ace commentator within Liang Qu's fief, Thirteen Sacrifices had been following Liang Qu's main force all along. Once things were done, he happened to have nothing else to do, so he naturally came along too. Yixing, Jiangnan — it was plum rain season; staying there wasn't comfortable either.

"Just let everyone talk their own talk. Speaking of it, I'm basking in Master's reflected glory." Liang Qu laughed heartily.

Yang Dongxiong shook his head: "Counting the Duke of Wei's line, there are plenty who study the 'Wansheng Baoyuan'. Which one of them can be called 'Zu' at Lou Guan Tai?"

"Wrong. Hard work for over ten years, finally made it to the top." Liang Qu sighed with hands behind his back.

"Go to hell!" Xu Zishuai kicked out in midair.

Liang Qu sidestepped: "Audacious commoner. How dare you show disrespect to a Prince? Later you clean your own room."

"Pfft! Master's Wife!"

"Alright, alright." Xu Shi interrupted. "You've traveled a long way, not tired in the least, no peace at all. Old Ninth, on the road I heard Daoist Priest Jian Hong's meaning — tomorrow he'll come to take you to visit the Shadow Hall. Does he really want you to receive a lineage inheritance? To become a Liang Shi Zu?"

"Should be." Liang Qu thought for a moment.

He had just arrived and was also startled by this title; only after thinking did he understand.

His relationship with Lou Guan Tai went way back, and not just a little.

First, and the main one, was the 'Wansheng Baoyuan'. This technique originated from the Great Huang's Taizu 'Wansheng Gong'. Alas, it was lost, leaving only the 'Hundred Battles Method' promoted in the army. If not for Liang Qu going to the Netherworld, it would probably have truly vanished without a trace.

And Lou Guan Tai's current Dao Master Ge Jiantai reverse-engineered the 'Hundred Battles Method', and at the same time combined it with the Daoist 'Dan Yuan Gong', only then creating this 'Wansheng Baoyuan'. And during the Great Shun uprising, he transmitted the Dao to the Duke of Wei — that is, Xu Wenzhu's father — counting as a kind of surrender contact. On this point, it is genuinely a share of Orthodox Daoist lineage inheritance.

Second, was the Old Monk King Kong Ming Wang. The Old Monk cultivated all three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. He was good friends with Dao Master Ge Jiantai's younger brother Ge Jianhong. Back when they went from Qingzhou to Pingyang, it was Ge Jianhong who helped divine and deduced the evil monk's whereabouts.

That year going to Hanging Temple, opening the Six Desires Heavens, Lou Guan Tai's Dao Son Yuan directly called him Liang Martial Brother.

But at that time Liang Qu was only Entering Zhen Xiang; now he has become a Yao Long. That's an in-situ explosion, a spiral ascent to the heavens.

Back then calling him Martial Brother was intimacy, was wooing. Still calling him Martial Brother now — shamelessly climbing high, not to mention Lou Guan Tai would have to worry about offending Liang Qu.

What's the deal? Lou Guan Tai's "mere" Dao Son dares call me Martial Brother, and the rest of the elders one by one want to be King Huai's elders, selling their seniority?

Of course, Liang Qu doesn't care about these things. But Lou Guan Tai isn't stupid. A major power with so many years of inheritance — never mind the rest. You can not care, but I can't really do that.

And so.

The title "Liang Zu" came into being as the times required.

As for how Liang Zu's Master Yang Dongxiong and Xu Zishuai address him, probably each has their own way?

Just now at the mountain gate worship, Lou Guan Tai Dao Master Ge Jiantai personally welcomed the three heads. Meanwhile, Ge Jianhong, the Middle Realm Entering Zhen Xiang, Grandmaster younger brother, specially came to chat with Liang Qu, and even proposed tomorrow taking Liang Qu to the Shadow Hall as a probe.

Shadow Hall, the ancestral hall inside the Daoist sect.

Use your brain to think: Lou Guan Tai wants to set up a spirit tablet for Liang Qu, counting as truly making him an "outer disciple" — strike that — "external ancestor".

"What do you think?" Xu Shi asked.

Long Eying also looked over.

"Go ahead and go. I don't eat Lou Guan Tai's food; Lou Guan Tai can't demand anything of me. It's just a title. Out in the world, the more friends the better."

"I mean, will the imperial court have any opinion on that side?"

"Hah, no way. Master's Wife, you know me. I'm not someone who swells up just because of strength." Liang Qu grinned.

He knew what Xu Shi worried about. Being an official, one more or less has to have some taboos. Like the Bai family of Hantai Prefecture — holding court office yet having private ties with the Lotus Sect. Does that look proper?

Can only weep and cleanse a wave.

Lou Guan Tai is different from the Lotus Sect. The Qintian Monitor even has close ties with Lou Guan Tai. Lan Jicai is even half a Daoist Priest. Cheap disciple Guan Congjian is also a Hanging Temple outer disciple. But the scale is different.

Liang Qu is a Yao Long, enough to sway the world's major trends, equivalent to a power. Recruiting another power's disciple in and making him a Hall Master — what to do when the two sides' interests conflict in the future?

In the sect, it's always Xu Shi who considers things most comprehensively, more meticulously. However, Master's Wife's considerations have somewhat fallen behind Liang Qu's strength development.

Some things, saying them out loud inevitably sounds a bit pretentious.

This thing called "purity" only has influence when one is neither high nor low.

Too weak, don't care. Too strong, it's reverse-dependence, is seeking refuge.

Master's Wife worries this nominal title would be a union, a wooing, polluting the Son of Heaven's wings' "purity". But today's Liang Qu, one person one hand — no, there's always a higher heaven, a stronger man. Too arrogant. Two hands then. Two hands can thrash the entire Lou Guan Tai.

Lou Guan Tai can't woo him a bit.

In a master's eyes, it only counts as borrowing a bit of past trivial connection to freeload. Hard freeloading.

Pah, shameless!

"True." Xu Shi watched Liang Qu grow up. She knew these words had no flaw. Liang Qu was more shrewd than her. She simply stopped helping to worry.

The next day.

"Liang Zu!" Lou Guan Tai disciples called early outside the door. "Want breakfast?"

Long Eying moved aside her book and called twice.

Liang Qu acted as if he hadn't heard, fully concentrated. At this moment, he was hugging the Dragon Girl's bent knee thigh, using his index finger to lightly hook the sock cuff. The sock cuff that had been stretching the round thigh taut immediately snapped back, rolling itself into an elastic ring, rolling all the way to the knee. Liang Qu rubbed it back up again. So the cycle repeated, enjoying it endlessly.

Early morning, Liang Qu rubbed no less than a hundred times.

This thigh is good. Play for a hundred years.

Pinching and kneading, hooking the elastic band.

Long Eying finally understood why she had been made to wear a size-too-small pair of silk stockings last night; seeing no reaction, she kicked his lower abdomen again, pushing Liang Qu away.

Only then did Liang Qu reluctantly let go, dressing and getting out of bed.

"Coming, coming!"

"Daoist Ge!"

"Prince Huai!" Ge Jianhong, sporting a goatee and looking spirited in his practice robes, was all smiles. "Louguan Terrace sits in Heyang — not as prosperous as Nanzhili, nor as interesting as Yixing. I wonder how you rested last night? First time at my Louguan Terrace — any discomfort?"

Liang Qu raised a hand: "Daoist Ge jokes. I feel right at home. Arriving at Mount Lingxu, I only sense the abundant spiritual mechanism of heaven and earth — a blessed land. No wonder the ancestors of Louguan Terrace founded their sect here."

Ge Jianhong stroked his beard and laughed heartily: "Yesterday, to welcome the Sage Emperor, the sect was busy from top to bottom and failed to entertain Prince Huai — many oversights. Today we finally have leisure; I wonder if Prince Huai still has the interest?

This poor daoist cannot match Prince Huai's formidable strength; I have cultivated to this day with dull aptitude, barely reaching Grandmaster, unable to sit and discuss the Dao. Nor can I match the Dragon Lady's beauty — not a beauty who can accompany you left and right, pleasing to the eye. Only regarding the inner scenery of Mount Lingxu do I have three or four parts familiarity, five or six parts insight, and wish to introduce a thing or two for Prince Huai."

"Cultivation requires tension and relaxation; haste makes waste. Why must walking, sitting, and lying all be discussing the Dao? No matter how many beauties, they cannot compare to my wife; even if they accompanied me it would be dull. This arrangement is already the best. Today I fear I must trouble Daoist Ge — please."

"Please."

Light spots shifted.

The two walked slowly along the mountain path under the tree shade.

Green moss covered the stone steps; white deer often appeared, eating berries in the shrubs.

Ge Jianhong introduced the successive patriarchs of Louguan Terrace, their various connections with Great Shun, the strange people and events deep in Mount Tianshan, and the various local specialties.

Liang Qu listened silently, until Ge Jianhong spoke of the old monk.

"In the divination of old, it was heard that the Ming King encountered a fine talent in Pingyang — dragon sinews and tiger bones, same as Patriarch Bodhidharma, most suited to the 'Vajra Gong'. Who would have thought, in a flash over ten years, the Ming King became a true Ming King, and Prince Huai is likewise a hero of the world — the student surpasses the master."

"This matter still requires many thanks to Daoist Ge." Liang Qu's expression turned serious. "If not for Daoist Ge's divination, how could I have met the Ming King, gained the Ming King's protection."

"Protection, what a 'protection'. On the day of the divination the memory is clearly still fresh, as if it were just last night————"

Ge Jianhong sighed deeply.

Over ten years.

Not long to say — from a child's birth to growing to this point is only a youth; parents are still forty, in their prime. Not short either — it is already a generation.

Old friend died young, old friend's disciple also died young.

This damn————

Cough.

Ge Jianhong said "Patriarch, forgive me" and silently recited the Clear Heart Mantra.

"Speaking of it, that evil monk matter — how exactly did it go? Only heard the Ming King say it was resolved, and had some connection with Jian Zhongyi; the specifics this poor daoist does not know."

"This matter is a long story————"

Liang Qu's face showed reminiscence; he skipped the middle part about killing Jian Zhongyi, only saying it was a coincidental death.

Ge Jianhong exclaimed repeatedly, truly shocked by Jian Zhongyi's conduct.

After exchanging past stories, the two's relationship grew much closer. Standing side by side on the mountain rock, overlooking Louguan Terrace, Ge Jianhong also revealed the ultimate purpose of this trip.

"Your Highness has two origins with our abbey. First, the 'Wansheng Baoyuan' derives from Great Huang's Taizu 'Wansheng Gong', merged by Cao Shixiong with the Daoist 'Danyuan Gong', passed down through twists and turns to the Duke of Wei, and Your Highness received this true transmission — not daring to claim an unbroken Dao lineage, only speaking of a transmission bond. Second, the Ming King and this poor daoist have been friends for over a hundred years; Your Highness is his high-footed disciple, naturally not an outsider.

The so-called title of 'Liang Ancestor' was originally spontaneously revered by disciples, yet without name or rank it lacks propriety. This poor daoist discussed with Cao Shixiong — not daring to say we accept a disciple on behalf of the master, humbly placing you in the sequence — only wishing to set a single seat for Your Highness in the Shadow Hall, listed as 'Baoyuan Ancestor'. Thus, Your Highness's connection with our abbey, our Louguan Terrace can also proclaim to posterity, not empty words."

Liang Qu bowed: "In my early years I had two great opportunities — one was Master Yang, two was the Ming King; likewise I obtained two great methods — one Baoyuan, two Vajra Gong, cultivating both inner and outer, the great Dao that penetrates heaven.

There was never that trivial time of not getting a good method, then later needing to constantly switch methods — saving how much cultivation energy.

Since it is Daoist Ge's wish, naturally there is no objection."

"That is wonderful. Does Prince Huai have affairs to handle? If not————"

"Just arrived, naturally everything is arranged; it is precisely leisure time."

Ge Jianhong was overjoyed, not daring to be the slightest bit negligent, afraid Liang Qu might suddenly regret it; in a great hurry he directly dragged Liang Qu off to finalize it.

As if to secure the deal fast enough.

The entire induction process was not grand or fanfare, summoning disciples; on the contrary it was quite simple.

Yesterday the Dao Master Ge Jiantai who hosted the three lords personally presided, performed a small ritual, burned talisman paper, reported Liang Qu's matter to heaven, informed the patriarchs of all generations, then a brand-new spirit tablet made long ago stood sparkling in the Shadow Hall; at the same time Yang Dongxiong's lineage genealogy was recorded anew, and Wen Wen Shi Yun and the others were no exception.

Thus.

Success achieved.

Ge Jiantai stroked the peach-wood spirit tablet, secretly moved.

Back when Master handed the Dao Master position to him, it was during the turmoil of the Northern Court's Eight Divisions, Great Qian's corruption, droughts and unrest everywhere, endless bandit troubles, kings enfeoffing and carving up territory — the world's chaos gradually appearing. He accepted the mandate in peril, already trembling with fear, walking on thin ice; not long after Great Shun rose in rebellion, thoroughly becoming a pot of porridge.

How many nights tossing and turning, how many times alarmed and afraid — only fearing Louguan Terrace would decline in his hands, failing the Liezulie Sect.

Fortunate, fortunate.

All survived.

Bet on Great Shun, gained Prince Huai, secured a thousand years of peace.

Master, did you see? Louguan Terrace has not declined — it gets better and better!

I have reached the other shore!

Liang Qu gazed at his own tablet, equally filled with myriad emotions.

Back when learning 'Wansheng Baoyuan', he never imagined he could directly become a Louguan Terrace patriarch.

Thought for a moment.

He reached into his Qiankun bag, embarrassingly discovering he didn't have what he wanted.

The large Qiankun bag was given to the old toad long ago; he only has a small one, usually holding a few key items for ready use.

"Any paper and brush?"

Ge Jianhong froze, immediately sending a disciple forward.

Liang Qu wrote a small booklet in flowing strokes, handed it to Ge Jiantai; Ge Jiantai didn't understand at first, flipped through a couple pages, his gaze gradually becoming shocked, burning hot: "Liang Ancestor, this, this is————"

Liang Qu nodded: "The original 'Myriad Victories Merit'."

"Hiss————"

Everyone in the Shadow Hall sucked in a breath of cold air, gathering around in a uniform swarm.

"Hasn't this cultivation method been lost for a long time?" Ge Jiantai couldn't help but ask.

"It is lost in the Yang Realm." Liang Qu shrugged.

"Then————"

"So it's something I fished out from the Yin Realm."

Ni Ma————

Ge Jianhong was horrified.

Matters of the Yin Realm are not a secret among major powers; the rift opens right on the Yellow Sand River, and the nearby commoners all know, but fishing a cultivation method out of the Yin Realm————

Ge Jiantai treated it as a priceless treasure; this is a treasure that can become a sect's foundation!

Worth it, absolutely worth it.

In the afternoon, the sunlight was scorching, the division between light and shadow distinct.

Walking out of the Shadow Hall, Liang Qu scanned the surroundings and saw a familiar figure, crying out in pleasant surprise.

"Yuan!"

It was precisely the Louguantai Daoist Disciple Yuan whom he had met at Hanging Temple in the past!

Yuan stopped; he also saw Liang Qu, his face showing an expression of joy mixed with bleakness; his lips moved, but he made no sound. His attitude finally became respectful, clearly calling out: "Ancestor Liang!"

Liang Qu shivered.

He knew that in just a few years of not meeting, a sad thick barrier had already come between them. Liang Qu also couldn't speak, walked up and patted Yuan's shoulder, keeping a straight face.

"Presumptuous! How many times have I said, when outside call me by my post; I came with the Sage Emperor, what should you call me?"

Yuan's mouth twitched, he bowed: "Prince Huai!"

"Hey, you brat aren't stupid, hey, forget it, today We specially permit you to call me Senior Brother!"

Laughing continuously, Yuan knew this was a joke; looking at the unchanged Liang Qu, he relaxed considerably, only taking a booklet from his bosom and handing it to Liang Qu.

"What is this?" Liang Qu flipped through it.

"It is my Louguantai Talisman Method; parting at Hanging Temple back then, I spoke of gifting Senior Brother the Talisman Method; a few years isn't long, yet I never thought Senior Brother would die young." Yuan sighed with emotion.

"Good, not bad, not bad." Liang Qu accepted it happily; this thing is still useful, can help him condense jade tablets of higher quality, several disciples can all use it.

"Right, did Master Huai Kong, Zhaoxue and the others come?"

"They all came." Yuan smiled, "Since parting at Hanging Temple back then, never has there been such a complete gathering as today."

"Good, very good." Liang Qu reminisced, "When one gets old, one just wants to see old friends more."

Silently recited the Clear Heart Mantra once.

Liang Qu chatted idly for a bit, originally wanting to propose everyone gather together, but unexpectedly just as they were discussing the time, a melodious cloud-board sounded, resonating through the mountains, eighteen consecutive strikes, Yuan's complexion suddenly changed, mostly pleasant surprise.

Yuan: "————"

Liang Qu understood in his heart: "Awakened?"

"Prince Huai! The Ancestor has awakened!" Without waiting for Yuan to answer, Ge Jianhong had already appeared and answered.

"Good, long wanted to pay respects to Ancestor Ge's bearing!"

The entire Louguantai trembled slightly, ten million feet running simultaneously.

Led by Ge Jianhong, Liang Qu went straight into the rear mountain of Lingxu.

Lush branches and leaves.

Immortal cranes circled the mountain peak, a white deer lay prostrate on the plaza; inside a neat cave, several hundred Daoist Priests of profound cultivation prayed. The Sage Emperor, Tusi, and Great Khan were already waiting here, and under Louguantai's organization, entered one after another.

Liang Qu stepped into the cave.

A faint fragrance seeped from the mountain body; the mountain body was the earthy yellow of granite, only with a bit of jade-like luster, as if nurtured by a great demon or even a Demon King.

The passage was very long, like a spiral long ladder inside a pagoda tower, only turning two bends downward.

The Ze Ding trembled.

【Obtained a wisp of Rebirth Qi; if merged with ten thousand Water Marsh Essences, a Spirit Fish is born, can elevate Favor.】

【Obtained a wisp of Death Qi; if merged with ten thousand Water Marsh Essences, a Spirit Fish is born, can elevate Favor.】

【Heaven and Earth Long Qi: Twenty-One】

Since we're here, might as well accept the gift.

Two strands of Long Qi floated and turned inside the Ze Ding.

Accepting the small gift, secretly thinking Ancestor Ge is polite and generous, Liang Qu showed no expression, followed the group forward silently, until reaching the mountain interior.

The mountain interior wasn't large originally, filled with formations and magic tools, strung with red ropes and ink lines, already very messy; suddenly so many "spectators" poured in, it was extremely cramped. A dozen disciples shoulder to shoulder, trying to make space, were just pulling ropes, hauling a huge coffin out of an earth pit.

The coffin was pitch black all over, bound with ropes, coiled with an indescribably majestic Qi mechanism.

Why so strange?

Liang Qu looked left and right, inexplicably having a feeling of watching a horror movie.

Everyone held their breath sensing, vainly trying to glean some insights from within.

Only————

Boom!

The coffin burst open, blood mist surged violently!

Blood mist spread, dense fierce evil aura gushed out, everyone was stunned, uniformly looking toward Ge Jiantai.

Ge Jiantai waved his whisk, calming everyone: "Everyone don't panic, this is————"

Before his words fell.

The vigorous aura that could originally be felt inside the coffin plummeted like a waterfall, cascading down in a torrent!

The leakage was clean and decisive, comparable to Liang Qu's previous method of using pig urine to exchange breath, which ended with it being punctured and deflated.

Everyone looked again at Ge Jiantai, and Ge Jiantai's face was deathly pale.