Chapter 1487

"Have you heard? Half a year ago, the new land that emerged from the Dragon King's Mound has recently been showing celestial phenomena one after another! That's a good thing—it can increase true gang, and increasing true gang allows body refinement, boosts qi and blood, and enables breakthroughs in realm!"

"Everyone's heard about it—who doesn't know? But who knows what it's useful for? The celestial phenomena only last a short while—you couldn't even run far enough to catch them, and we can't divine their appearance. Good luck is needed to encounter them, and even then, it's just the government officials who surround them, visible but untouchable, not even able to smell them—nothing to do with us at all. Truly infuriating!"

"Waiter, the bill."

"Here you are, sir—one whole chicken, half a goose, and a plate of dry-steamed spare ribs——"

"No need for change."

"Got it, thank you, sir. Please take your time, sir—come again next time."

The waiter flicked his towel, wiped the man's boots, and saw him all the way out of the teahouse.

"Hiss, why does that person have such short hair? Could he be a Wen Yue person from the southern borders? Tsk, I heard Wen Yue people like to shave their heads, tattoo themselves, and eat raw meat and drink blood—truly uncivilized folk."

"Aren't Wen Yue people all dark and grimy? This one doesn't look black at all. Now that the imperial court has allied with the southern borders and the Northern Court, travel is open both ways—I feel more and more foreigners are coming to our place lately, truly ruining the customs of the Central Plains! I can't even find guard work these days."

"Heh heh, but the women from over there are not bad—especially the courtesans from the Northern Court, fine fellows, truly tall and stout, with big hips—sit on one and you could crush a person to death!"

"Hiss, brother, where did you previously encounter them?"

Two bearded men, middle-aged men in their thirties or forties with faces weathered by wind and frost, reeking of mud, sat down with just a pot of wine and a plate of peanuts, chatting about heaven and earth, criticizing everything everywhere.

Liang Qu walked out of the teahouse, bathed in sunlight, absorbed their words word for word, shook his head, too lazy to bother. He calculated the position and speed of Ge Zu's "Stone in the River," took a step, and shot straight into the nine heavens.

So-called celestial phenomena naturally resulted from his recent organization of heavenly and earthly spiritual mechanisms.

Long winds fluttered, communicating with the Ze Ding.

【Heavenly Earth Long Qi: Forty-five】

From the old reserves, he gave the "Gap" to Xu Shixiong, the "Abyssal Flow" to Hou Hongyuan, and the "Vibrant Vitality" had already been used up.

Before coming to this place, there remained seven Ganlu, three Huangni Mu, three Tianxuan Di Huang Renhe, two Xuanhuang, two Chiqui, plus one set of Louguantai's Transbirth and Transdeath, one Shaqi, one Chaqi—twenty-one in total.

Additional harvest: twenty-four Long Qi!

Directly doubled.

Of the twenty-four Long Qi, in order: nine Shaqi, ten Chaqi, one Hou Tu Qi, four Zhuo Qi—excluding Hou Tu Qi as top-grade, the rest aren't too bad, winning by sheer quantity!

Harvest extremely abundant.

Especially since many inside are low and medium-grade Qi—using them up doesn't hurt.

【Can consume seventeen Spirit Fish, elevate Cangqing: Martial Dao to Divine, seventeenth level.】

"Shaqi is just average, Chaqi barely acceptable, plus Zhuo Qi—twenty-five total, already enough for one elevation, though I don't know if Chaqi can be exchanged for thirty? Those two levels also have hope, ah, but exchanging too much would deplete reserves."

Liang Qu sighed.

He had used medium Long Qi to exchange for low Long Qi with the imperial court more than once or twice, but low Long Qi isn't like Chinese cabbage—you can't get as much as you want. The quantities of low, medium, and high Long Qi aren't pyramid-shaped—low is abundant, medium scarce—just that Long Qi itself has varying effects on human enhancement, leading to different prices.

Demand for high Long Qi is broad, so it's naturally scarce on the market.

"I wonder what the flood dragon is up to————"

Liang Qu pondered breaking the sacrificial subduing of the dragon.

Before, he still worried the flood dragon was secretly hiding its ill intent, but now, the more he looked, the more he felt it had a bit of humor—once failed, only looking up remained. The past lessons of Zhongzhong Yi and the Guimu Sect—two precedents—were about to become three.

Recently, he's been too lazy to let the fat fish waste energy trying to probe and steal information.

Now the flood dragon seems equivalent to triple Cangqing, its value not insignificant.

"Perhaps I shouldn't use it all to elevate Chuan Zhu Cangqing—why not try elevating Ying Long Cangqing instead?" Liang Qu's thoughts turned, recalling a very distant memory.

Heavenly Earth Long Qi is not only usable for elevating Chuan Zhu Cangqing!

All Cangqing, in essence, can use Long Qi—or, Spirit Fish—to substitute for elevation!

【Consume eleven threads of Dragon Seed aura, generate one Ying Long pattern.】

【Dragon Seed aura: Nine】

A thought shifted.

【Consume nine threads of Dragon Seed aura, four Spirit Fish, generate one Ying Long pattern.】

"It can actually be combined!?" Liang Qu exclaimed in delight.

All along, the demand for Chuan Zhu and Ying Long Cangqing elevation has been like diamonds and gold coins—one can only be elevated with recharge diamonds, the other slowly accumulated through other activities as gold coins.

Plus, the superiority from diamond recharge's talent enhancement—before the "gold coin activities" are fully completed, the option of spending diamonds to elevate Ying Long is almost subconsciously overlooked by him.

But being able to "use diamonds" and "use gold coins" together still gave him delight.

Ying Long's 【Heavenly Gate Earthly Axis】 can organize heavenly and earthly spiritual mechanisms, manifest phenomena and Long Qi, even position fruits—collecting these now has irreplaceable superiority, and it's equally the key means for him to escape the exile of the Great Buddha Lotus.

"One layer Chuan Zhu, two layers Ying Long Cangqing————"

"Is there no way for Old Dragon Lord over there to use essence blood to create another batch? Too bad the Yellow Sand Dragon King is merely a demon king—creating great demons isn't as easy as when the Dragon Lord was around————"

"White Dragon Lord over there must clear a wave of inventory"—there should still be many Dragon Seed demon omissions; let A Fat go deliver the invitation, pick a day to head north!"

Liang Qu made up his mind—he had taken the White Dragon Lord's Dragon Seed aura early that morning.

Back when attacking Shuofang Terrace, he had sneakily rubbed against it, and during Zhen Xiang, he had also cleansed the Flowing Gold Sea, but the White Dragon Lord's Ehe River surroundings lie in the Northern Court, still not "cleansed"—now that the Northern Court and Great Shun are allied, there's no better time.

He messaged A Fat, recording an extra task on his little notebook.

"Is this the container prepared by the Frog Duke?"

Liang Qu took over a clump of something like "plastic film," inside which, like a bird's nest, was stuffed full of various materials he didn't quite recognize,

all gathering together into this suspected container, utterly incomparable to the one Lan Ji gave out.

"When the Frog Duke gave it to me, it was just like this." Long Eying raised her hand.

"Alright."

Holding trust in the Frog Duke, Liang Qu first went to the Eastern Sea, drilled into Chuan Guo, then took out the Fei Guo.

Chi Ding grasped in hand.

A sharp soreness came from Liang Qu's palm, as if soaked in concentrated sulfuric acid.

"Slurp."

Liang Qu sniffed, realizing this one was truly treacherous.

Young Dragon, a cold!

Seeing a ghost in broad daylight.

He had almost forgotten the feeling of a runny nose.

Ripples spread, suppressing the Fei Fruit; Liang Qu hurriedly stuffed the Red Cauldron into the "plastic wrap" and sealed it. The discomfort on his body rapidly faded; the nausea and dizziness that had neared feverishness slowly vanished.

It works!

The effect is quite good!

Liang Qu was delighted and once more admired Old Toad's abilities.

A household with a toad is like a household with a treasure.

When in doubt, ask the Miraculous Elder.

Emerging again, Liang Qu held the Fei Fruit wrapped in "plastic wrap" and approached a sea fish. Discovering the sea fish did not immediately flip belly-up, he felt even more at ease.

"Enough."

This container was not prepared for himself, but for Awei.

Refining a Wei Fruit may have no realm requirement — just meet the conditions — but refining a Wei Fruit without a realm requirement is unlikely.

Because below Young Dragon, facing a Wei Fruit directly — especially a destructive Minor Wei Fruit — one cannot possibly withstand the authority and might naturally radiating from the Wei Fruit.

With a container blocking it, letting a trace leak out, then using that trace to refine step by step — only then is success possible.

Returning to Pingyang, Ge Zu arrived just then.

Not using the White Ape identity, Liang Qu would never openly use a traversal divine ability on the surface, but Hu Wang's acceleration methods were also numerous, far faster than Ge Zu could run.

"Ge Zu! How is the situation?" Liang Qu asked.

"Everything is ready!" Ge Chengxin was full of confidence.

Awei held its head high and chest out, its mouthparts opening and closing, cold light shimmering. Its whole insect body was shrouded in a hazy layer of gray, as if about to molt.

The Third Prince clung to the roof beams, two dragon claws scratching incessantly.

"Good, no time to lose. Trouble you, Ge Zu."

Ge Zu shook his head: "No need to speak of hardship. The Huai King granted me two hundred years of extended life, giving hope for the Furnace, and even awakened me. It was a mere trifle, let alone participating together — it benefits the path to proof."

"Ah, no need, no need. We're all comrades. What's yours and mine? Just mutual help. Let's change places to talk, Third Prince!"

"Coming, coming."

The Third Prince flew down, transformed into a hundred-zhang great dragon, and swallowed everyone in one gulp.

Feet on solid ground, Liang Qu brought Ge Zu to the lake-center island.

Ge Zu looked around, still unable to help feeling envy and shock at this personal pocket world, but immediately did not dare delay and set to work preparing, inscribing the talisman array.

Once Awei entered, Liang Qu handed over the container.

Gazing at the vague Red Cauldron inside, Ge Zu swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

How many Young Dragons spend a lifetime unable to obtain a single Wei Fruit, yet one has just landed in his hands? And then thinking of the four more in Liang Qu's possession —

Ge Zu sighed.

Comparing people to people, it infuriates you to death.

He severed his distracting thoughts and devoted himself fully to activating the ritual, then gently lifted a corner of the container.

Boom!

Authority leaked. The vegetation planted on the entire small island rapidly withered, rotted, and turned into a pool of pus. Liang Qu did not stop it; the refining ritual contained a "spread plague" requirement, and being able to limit it to the Chuan Kingdom's scope was already the best choice.

The fluctuation was formless. Long Eying's face turned pale. The Third Prince grew dizzy and blurred, staggering as he flew to Long Eying's shoulder, then collapsed limp: "Ugh, slurp, slurp, so disgusting, want to throw up—"

"It'll be fine in a bit. In a bit we'll go out."

Long Eying took a deep breath, reached out to stroke the Third Prince's mane. The Third Prince listlessly rolled over.

In contrast, using poison to cure poison, and having been trained and nurtured by Ge Zu, Awei seemed born with a certain resistance. Even though it was a realm lower than the Third Prince, it still maintained considerable mobility.

Ge Zu fed Awei a medicinal pill, then controlled the authority: "Body dies first!"

Awei's aura vanished rapidly. Its already gray-hazy outer shell completely detached, turning into a layer of hard carapace on the spot.

A unique aura, blending, rising.

Liang Qu's spirit roused.

It works!

Liang Qu, having personally experienced it twice, could feel with incomparable clarity that the two were blending, refining! The first step's conjecture was verified successfully!

Ge Zu had never experienced refining a Wei Fruit, only watched Liang Qu refine a Mei Fruit, but he also understood this was a brand new stage.

The groggy feeling intensified. Awei struggled to keep its mind clear. At the same time, accompanied by the medicinal resolution, the poison glands in its body — which could have continuously evolved by devouring poison sacs — underwent a brand new, completely different metamorphosis through blending with the Wei Fruit's authority!

Poison and medicine are two sides of the same coin. The poison glands' metamorphosis likewise drove the glands that originally secreted dew drops; both obtained evolution and growth.

A full day and night.

Long Eying came in twice. Liang Qu stood guard the whole time, thoroughly confirming the Wei Fruit refining had entered the right track.

This point-to-surface method inevitably consumes more time.

Liang Qu rarely grew tense. He worried that months later, when Awei fully refined the Fei Fruit, the result would have nothing to do with him — that would be a muggle's fate.

"Hope it goes smoothly—"

Handing it to Ge Zu, Liang Qu returned from the Chuan Kingdom, just in time to receive the second container Old Toad had prepared.

This time it wasn't "plastic wrap" but a giant turtle shell three chi in size, filled with waterweeds and all sorts of bizarre materials.

Liang Qu immediately took out another Creation Treasure Fish.

Such was the Whale Emperor's gift — three went, two taken. Heart-achingly painful. This one fish could be worth hundreds of thousands of essence, even millions possible. But to find a container this quickly at the cost of one Treasure Fish — not a loss!

"Guahaha!" Old Toad was overjoyed, accepted the Treasure Fish, and was about to leave.

"National Preceptor!" Liang Qu shouted.

The old toad's eyes lit up: "Could there still be a treasure fish?"

"No treasure fish for now."

The old toad looked disappointed.

"But we can have one." Liang Qu shifted his tone.

"Oh?" The old toad trembled all over: "Could it be another critical moment of life and death?"

Liang Qu bowed: "Just as the National Preceptor expected! Besides the vessel, there is another important matter."

Relying solely on divination and calculation could never possibly deduce the whereabouts of such a heavenly and earthly marvel as the position fruit—at least not with current martial arts levels, just as before, when heavenly and earthly vital energy could not be accurately deduced, relying entirely on experience and exploration.

But that "present" was the era when the old toad had not yet become a great demon and had not obtained the auspicious position fruit. Moreover, the old toad back then was more like a dragon pearl radar conducting area searches, rather than some miraculous compass of Jekyll and Hyde.

Yet now the position fruit container could actually be taken out so easily——

Liang Qu thought he could try again.

"Giant Spirit?"

The old toad scratched his buttocks, eyes showing contemplation.

"Exactly, exactly." Liang Qu described in detail the possible traits of the Giant Spirit: "National Preceptor, do you feel a flash of inspiration? Speak boldly!

"Giant Spirit, Giant Spirit——" the old toad muttered, then suddenly croaked: "Ah!"

"National Preceptor!?" Liang Qu exclaimed excitedly.

"No."

"

"

The waterfall poured down.

"Please, National Preceptor, use your profound skill again!" Liang Qu refused to give up: "Or perhaps you should focus and feel once more?"

"There simply isn't any." The old toad scratched his buttocks again, paid no attention, and kicked his legs.

"Plop."

Ripples spread, fantasies shattered.

Liang Qu felt helpless, lying down on the grass.

The ever-successful Frog Lord——had suffered a setback!

"Splash."

Water sounds arose.

Liang Qu thought there was a turning point, that the old toad had returned, and sat up after brushing himself off, only to find that what emerged was not the old toad.

"Ah Fei? Are the preparations for meeting the White Dragon King ready? What about the Northern Court? Is that settled too? Fine, better to act today than pick another day—let's go today." Liang Qu used a water-control move to seize the last fortune treasure fish, preparing it as a greeting gift, about to call Long Eying together.

"Splash."

The old toad poked his head out: "White Dragon King, are you going to see the White Dragon King?"

"Yes, National Preceptor, this is——"

The old toad rubbed his paws and webbed feet, very excited: "Take me with you, take me with you! This lord has never been to Ehe River!"

"Alright." Liang Qu agreed in one breath.

No matter what, bringing the old toad along might be troublesome, but it definitely won't be bad.

"After finishing in Northern Court and obtaining the dragon seed aura, we'll go to the Southern Border to look for Shen Daguan!"

Refining the position fruit is not something done overnight.

Liang Qu acted with explosive energy, first seeking Su Gui Mountain to report his travel plans, and within half an hour received a reply, immediately summoning the Third Prince to set out.

The "River Stone" moved swiftly, straight into Northern Court.

On the afternoon of the twenty-sixth, Liang Qu had already arrived at Northern Court's Golden Wang Ting, meeting the Khan King, with Su Gui Mountain as the Great Shun envoy, paying a visit first, and then the two were led by Northern Court people to go to Ehe River.

Originally, such a "random" visit would have been absolutely impossible a year ago, but under the drive of external contradictions, the impossible became possible.

"Huai King, this is our Northern Court Ehe River; going forward three thousand li from here is the Dragon King's Palace. Without permission, those above Entering Zhen Xiang level may not enter privately, but since the Huai King has permission, we will not stop you, and will merely escort you to this point."

Wind and snow filled the sky, long-haired white cattle stood on the mountain slope, their figures blurred, one side brushing snow aside to find food, the other watching several people.

Two men in bear-skin coats stood by the riverbank, bowing deeply to the tall youth.

The thick fur on the upper garment fluttered in the wind, blown open to reveal the leather underneath. Liang Qu stepped firmly on the solid ice, brushed away frost, clasped his hands in salute, and called the Third Prince forward: "No problem, thank you for the trouble, gentlemen, for guiding the way. This is a special treasure fish from my Jianghuai region, a small profit——"

"Hiss, Huai King, don't, don't!"

"Absolutely not, if the Khan King finds out, he'll think we steppe people have broken the rules."

The two guides, one fluent in Great Shun official speech, Entering Zhen Xiang, felt honored and flustered, repeatedly declining, until finally Liang Qu insisted, after three refusals and three pushes, having no choice, they accepted the treasure fish.

Too temperamental.

The two Entering Zhen Xiang figures held the grass ropes, feeling moved in their hearts.

They had only heard the Huai King's name, never seen the Huai King in person, never imagined he would be so approachable.

Unfortunately——

Why do such outstanding people not appear in his Northern Court?

Cattle and sheep dispersed in the wind and snow.

After bidding farewell to the guides sent by the Khan King, Liang Qu, Long Eying, Su Gui Mountain as the Great Shun envoy, and a group of water creatures entered the water to move stealthily.

Ehe River is completely different from Huaijiang, especially in February, bitterly cold to the bone; on the riverbed, no lush green waterweeds can be seen. What meets the eye is only half-transparent ice crystal grass, the only advantage being that the water quality is better, clearer and brighter than Huaijiang.

After walking just three hundred li.

Liang Qu saw a large fish on patrol, having just met another, and then heard a large fish shout.

"Black Dragon King! The Black Dragon King has come!"