Chapter 1494: New Heights, Mistaken Identity (Two-in-One)

"Huai King, truly cannot stay?"

"Truly cannot stay. Many thanks for the Khan King's kind intentions; let us stop here. Do not delay state affairs. On this return trip, Qu also has important matters."

"Ah, my Ehe River, though not as vast and profound as the Huaijiang, wins in water clarity — like drinking mountain spring water. The sweet grass is fat as meat. Beef and mutton are even more superior to other places. Mountains and rivers magnificent, grasslands stretching endlessly — most suited for broadening one's state of mind, for sudden enlightenment and advancement."

"The Huai King's consort achieved dragon ascension in the Ehe, transformed into a Long Wang, blessing ten thousand li — truly a blessing of heaven and earth, a fortune of the Northern Court. There is a karmic connection. I am willing to grant the Huai King a fief, build a royal palace, and honor him as an honored guest — eating lamb daily."

The Khan King gripped Liang Qu's hands tightly, his words earnest and sincere.

Su Guishan stood to the side, eyes wide, frantically organizing his talking points.

The Huai King's consort advanced to Long Wang in the Ehe — this gave the old brat an excuse to curry favor and keep them. Two days, three visits, he used every trick in the book.

How could that work? Liang Qu was his Great Shun's treasure, rarity, auspicious omen! Eying was too! A naturally born and raised Long Wang! A Long Wang who made a whole river prosperous.

"Hua hua————"

Shrubs swayed, grass leaves rustled.

The little river otter ran to the side, rummaged through the grass clumps for fruit, and brought it to the beaver.

Before Su Guishan could speak, Liang Qu refused first: "Khan King, no delusive thoughts within, no delusive actions without. One land's water and soil nurture one land's people. Northern Court lamb is delicious, producing tall and sturdy men. Alas, water and soil differ — I ultimately cannot adapt————"

"What's not to adapt to?" The Khan King interrupted. "My Northern Court grasslands span a million li, scenery picturesque. Could it be the Huai King likes bustle? No matter — my Golden Royal Court is the Jiangnan of the Northern River, no less than————"

Before his words fell, a chaotic chittering erupted from the side.

Everyone looked back.

The river otters were bouncing and jumping, fleeing east and west, scratching ears and cheeks as they burst out of the shrubs. Behind them, one little black dot after another emerged from the soil, chasing the otters as they bounced.

A fixed gaze.

One by one, fingernail-sized bloodsucking ticks moved their jointed limbs, chasing living creatures.

The air went quiet. Ticks chasing people, swarming like ants, climbing onto legs, burrowing into clothes, burrowing into leg hair. Several servants instinctively stomped their feet. The Wolf Lord in the crowd was momentarily embarrassed, silently releasing true gang, precisely blasting the ground ticks to dust, then giving the otters a delousing.

The atmosphere congealed.

The Wolf Lord attempted to explain: "Huai King, do not take offense. These are vitreous-eye ticks. Only near the Great Snow Mountain region are they numerous. Normal————not commonly seen."

"So that's how it is." Liang Qu understood.

Su Guishan held back a smile.

The Khan King directly ignored it, smiled with regret, tightened his grip on Liang Qu's hand: "No matter. The Huai King's consort achieving dragon ascension in the Ehe — that is a stroke of heavy ink and vivid color. My Northern Court will forever be the Huai King's consort's second home."

"Many thanks, Khan King." Long Eying gave a slight bow. "I will remember."

"Good, attendants." The Khan King clapped. "Bring the best lambs! Gift them to the Huai King. And hold a banquet — let me see the Huai King off!"

Huala.

Wooden posts erected. Booted servants filed out, shook out long cloths — a golden-flower tent rose from the ground. Red carpet unfurled, spreading to beneath Liang Qu and Eying's feet.

A banquet?

The fat fish's long whiskers stood straight up. It immediately straightened and leaped out, dropping the White Jade Palace, running into the crowd, raising both fins high — it was going to perform swallowing three oxen in one gulp for the Heavenly God!

Dang dang dang dang————

Cups and plates in disarray. Bronze cups collided and bounced. Wine dripped from rims, seeped into the carpet. Mutton fat dried into yellow-white solids.

The White Jade Palace soared through the sky. Chishan turned into red clouds, galloping southward.

The "River Stones" both departed. The Khan King stood with hands behind his back until the sky was vast and empty. Still he did not leave. The more he looked, the more he liked. The more he looked, the more he regretted. The more he looked, the more he remorseed.

"The dragon-ascended couple————"

Why could they not appear in the Northern Court?

In a certain instant, the Khan King admitted he had stirred uncontrollable killing intent. Break the alliance. No longer caring about floodwaters reaching the heavens, worldly strife — he would surely launch a surprise attack————

"Khan King————" The Wolf Lord spoke.

"Ah————let's go."

Belly rising and falling, both fins hugging the "cannot move" tail. The fat fish burped hah-hu hah-hu, squeezed together with Round Head and Fist. The river otters occasionally lifted legs to scratch, rummaged each other's butts. Still had bugs on them.

"First pay a visit to the old Dragon Lord. After all, it's not an outsider. Eying became a dragon-ascended one. The Dragon Lord counts as a Dragon Ancestor. Normal families all have to pay respects. Such a big matter — however you look at it, we have to inform it."

"Understood." Long Yanrui recorded. "Do we need to bring any gifts for the visit?"

"Need to bring. After all, visiting an elder. The old Dragon Lord lacks no treasures — whatever it lacks it can catch itself. Just right — use the cattle and sheep the Khan King sent. Ate too much river fresh — change the taste. Bring a team of chefs too. Remember not to leak the Dragon Lord's information."

Flowing clouds flew past. Cloud-brocade curtains fluttered.

Long Yanrui patted his chest: "Brother-in-law, rest assured. This kind of thing I know."

"Mm. Yixing and the Long Gong can take a five-day holiday, reduce taxes for five days. The imperial court's portion cannot be reduced. My thirty percent tax — these five days won't be collected. Overlaps with the imperial court's five days of celebration."

"Distribute meat according to sacrificial meat distribution standards. Locals three jin. Over sixty years old three jin six liang. Outsiders don't give them any. Times are different from the past. Now too many tourists, cost too high. Can come eat flowing-water banquet."

"Phoenix Fairy Fish tour free. Waterways also thirty percent off. And————let the hedgehog handle these."

"Long Gong side distribute treasure fish. Spirits and above — one beast one low-grade treasure fish. Yao beasts — one beast one mid-grade. Great yaos — one beast one high-grade. Use what the Whale Emperor gave last time. Should be enough."

"Too much." Long Eying pushed Liang Qu once, admonished Long Yanrui. "Don't listen to your brother-in-law. Spirits and whatnot — give what? Eating it they don't even cherish. Yao beasts and above — one low-grade treasure fish. Just let them know."

Long Yanrui looked up, looked at Liang Qu, then looked at his elder sister.

"How is this much? High-grade treasure fish are useless even to great yaos. It's just a token. One beast one fish only uses a fraction." Liang Qu disagreed, slapped the table to finalize. "Don't listen to her. I'm the Water Lord. Just celebrate like this first. More to add later. Let the elders be busy a while. Though I reckon they should be happy to be busy."

"Definitely happy. Even the Grand Elder was so happy he fainted for a day. Lying in bed still grinning from time to time." Long Yanrui closed the ledger.

"Haha, for real?"

"Guaranteed true!" Long Yanrui swore. "Then brother-in-law, sister, I'm leaving first. Below is still Flowing Gold Sea. I'll go straight back via waterway. A few quarter-hours' work. You guys need half a day."

"Alright. Be careful yourself."

"Got it!"

Put away the ledger. Long Yanrui leaped, jumped out the window, plummeted straight down.

Leaned over to look.

No sound heard. On the vast blue sea alone, a small white flower bloomed.

"Poor Liang Qu, can't get through the days?" Long Eying nudged Liang Qu again, leaning against the tabletop to press out curves, "So many treasure fish, might as well give them to A Fei."

"Hm?"

The fat fish lifted its whiskers in a daze.

Give what?

"What's there to it, not a Demon King, can't sense the stones in the river, how would you know you're a dying dragon, I just want everyone to know, all beasts to know."

"Who should pluck plucks, who should sing sings! Whoever dares cry, drag them out and beat them good, whoever laughs loudest, I'll reward heavily."

"I'm happy, so everyone has to be happy along with me!"

Long Eying's eyelashes trembled, her gaze like water.

Liang Qu's hand moved onto her thigh: "Besides, with you around, treasure fish produce even more. Give to A Fei, it'll polish them off in one sitting, won't even have time to savor the taste————Hm."

Before his words fell, Liang Qu was smothered, unable to catch his breath, his nose full of fragrance.

Hm?

The fat fish, eyes bleary with sleep, propped up its belly and tilted its head back, looking left and right.

Treasure fish? Where are there treasure fish?

Candlelight flickered dimly.

Only after much difficulty did he recover his breath; Liang Qu gathered Eying into his arms, held her tight, his thighs clearly feeling the softness of her buttocks, pressing against each other, like eating a big mouthful of cream.

Long Eying couldn't help but cup Liang Qu's cheeks, breathe out lightly, stroke lightly, and finally hold him tight.

Liang Qu buried his head in again, sniffed out a certain "signal."

Just now caught off guard, this time prepared, appetite stirred, he gently grasped and kneaded, like a piece of tofu that couldn't be pinched apart; he always felt that since becoming the Dragon Queen, Eying had grown even more plump, the enveloping sensation stronger and stronger, himself melting like a snail meeting salt.

However Liang Qu hadn't forgotten one thing, continued to drag it out, losses increasing by the day, he pushed away the warm chest with difficulty, propped Eying up to sit sideways on his legs.

"Third Prince!"

"Ah, Big Brother, Sister Eying, what's the matter?"

A flash of white light, the Third Prince flew over and hovered.

Liang Qu connected with the Marsh Cauldron, swiftly allocated three points of River Favor, and bestowed them.

"Wow!" The Third Prince widened his dragon eyes, spread all four dragon claws, every one hooked high, pupils dilated, spun a circle, "Big Brother, this this this————for me?"

"Mm, for you."

Marsh Spirit promotion requires ruling, also requires Favor; Wu Guo in hand, sixty points of Rule easy to gather, Favor instead not easy.

One hundred Favor must be kept on hand, but exceeding one hundred causes dissipation.

Fortunately Liang Qu possesses Rule, can bestow excess Favor on other beasts, maximum possible no waste; according to testing, exceeding one hundred twenty, drops one point per day, below one hundred twenty, drops one point every two days, within these nine days' time, still sixteen points remain, exactly three points plus per beast.

"Wow!" The Third Prince wailed loudly, "Thank you Big Brother, Big Brother's kindness can never be repaid!"

The fat fish leaning in the corner had red eyes too.

Favor! Demon King opportunity!

Divine Ability elevated to third stage, it could barely match the Third Prince in strength; with Favor added, who knows how far it'd go; a carp's kip-up, it crashed into the Third Prince, ran before Liang Qu and folded its long whiskers.

It has always been loyal, can also run errands for the Heavenly God.

"Cough, A Fei, your matter————" Liang Qu was a bit embarrassed, "After all, special status, Favor clinging to the body, easy for flood dragons to see through, so————rest assured, what's lacking now, I'll make a note of, later when things settle, priority to you————"

Plop.

The White Jade Palace trembled.

The fat fish toppled to the ground, eyes lifeless.

The Third Prince zoomed around the room in wild joy.

Liang Qu had no choice either; Favor clinging to the body, normally fine, but facing a Demon King directly makes it easy to be seen through; so many water beasts, only A Fei not too suitable to receive.

"Hehehe, Big Brother really good————"

The Third Prince grinned cheekily and sidled up, coiled around the forearm, kept flipping over and over, like a barbershop's three-colored pole.

Liang Qu chuckled, a thought moved.

The remaining "Bu Neng Dong", Fist, Bai Awei, Round Head, each received three points respectively.

The fat fish completely unmoving; it lay on the ground, unknown if asleep or fainted.

"Bu Neng Dong" shook its tail and stepped forward, spat green mist, seeing it useless after a while, stopped bothering, returned to the corner, rested on its own.

Liang Qu connected with the Marsh Cauldron.

【River Rule: 57.9 (River Spring Favor: 100】

【Consumable: 9,530,000 Water Marsh Essence, 10 River Rule, 54.372 River Favor————】

【Consumable: 9,210,000————】

"One beast less three points————not a loss."

"Who?"

"Sister Eying!"

"Dying Dragon?"

"Right!"

"Who?"

"It's Grand Elder Long Chen's granddaughter, my brother-in-law's wife, you've met her."

"Dying Dragon?"

"Right, Sister Eying, Huai King's Consort! Now she's Long Wang!"

Long Yanrui spoke and gestured, feeling communication a bit difficult.

How come the Dragon Lord doesn't seem too bright?

Maybe it's because I'm getting old? Long Yanrui thought.

He had seen many old men in Pingyang, just like the current Dragon Lord, with vacant eyes, repeating questions several times when speaking.

Ah — has it already become like this?

Golden Eyes stared at Long Yanrui, the old Dragon Lord looking utterly bewildered.

Is that "River Stone" newly emerged from Beiting a Dragon person?

Fine, this I can understand — Liang Xiaozi's methods are superb, able to fully compensate for the Dragon person's innate deficiencies, indeed establishing the foundation of a Yao Long.

E Ying, a Yao Long at forty-eight or forty-nine, relying on the Three Great Furnaces methods, unprecedented, can be called the embodiment of martial development, and this too can be accepted.

But!

Yao Long is Yao Long, Long Wang is Long Wang!

These are two different matters!

"How can a Dragon person become Long Wang? This this this, the Ehe White Long Wang isn't even dead yet — where would the vacancy come from?"

Wait, the old Dragon Lord had a flash of insight and understood everything.

I made a mistake!

Dragon people have the Startling Dragon Transformation, able to change form, and possess Dragon Seed bloodline, elevated to a certain level, transforming into dragon shape, causing people to misunderstand!

It understood everything.

"Fine, I understand — I'll accept the cattle and sheep."

"Alright, Dragon Lord, take your time eating; call me if you need anything."

Huangsha River, Imperial Capital —

News spread like wind, surged like flood; good news delivered one by one, until the sixteenth, when Chishan finally led Bai Yu Palace to arrive at Pingyang, just landing, the vast Yixing, in an instant, cheers shook the heavens.

Xu Zishuai personally led a group of martial hall disciples, lined up to welcome, holding a long incense with a red tip, setting off firecrackers for two quarters of an hour on the dock, the sulfur smell detectable a li away; afterward, Xu Zishuai declared grandly, paying out of his own pocket, serving flowing banquet for three days, instantly shaking the roof tiles, shattering dust.

The broken half-tiles swayed, the crowded crowd trampled the blue bricks.

—

"What a lively scene, I'll tidy up later — "

Travel-weary, finally home to relax, Long Yao and Long Li tidied the bedding, kicked off their boots and collapsed for a nap; the Golden Monkey King held the ledger, tallying gifts from all directions — Nanjiang, Beiting, Dashun — all present, basins overflowing.

One day of rest.

"Mmm — "

Nasal humming.

Sunshine filtered through paper, hazy and faint, faintly hearing the street clamor, liveliness several levels higher than usual, nearly matching the annual River God Festival on the sixth day of the sixth month.

The weather slightly cooled, light white smoke curled and drifted, dispersing into the air.

Hot, soft, smooth —

Sweat mixed with sweat, skin rubbed against skin.

Five fingers tightened, soft flesh oozed between the gaps, full and radiant with halo.

Jumang turned into Rushou.

Liang Qu leaned on the softness, tightly embraced the waist, completely relaxed.

Touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing — all senses mixed, impacting, colliding, transforming, nearly evolving into a kind of contradictory violent impulse.

Wanting to crush E Ying, press her into one's embrace, become a new segment of spine and new support within the chest cavity, no longer distinguishing self from other, then suddenly wanting to shatter one's own bones, drain one's blood, turn to powder, turn to dust, following breath, following respiration, every thread merging in without loss.

The dragon tail emerged from under the thin blanket, like a white snake, gently tracing clockwise circles behind Liang Qu's back.

Itchy —

Shoulder blades stretched.

Slightly panting, Long Eying embraced Liang Qu, palm gently wiping sweat from Liang Qu's forehead, the soft chest better able to feel the firm muscles, distinct lines —

Golden sunlight Xu Xu rose, sun at three poles, sunlight came and heated.

"Hu — "

Nasal breath fiercely exhaled, tendons and bones cracked, spirit refreshed and invigorated!

"Daybreak, get up! Wine and lust have made me weary; from today, I quit alcohol!"

As if filled with electricity, drawing in energy, Liang Qu shouted loudly, energized, reached to grab the outer garment; Long Eying lay sideways on the bed, crescent eyes, skin glistening like jade, due to a thin layer of sweat, even more inviting to touch, smooth and slippery.

Restraining gaze, suppressing the urge to turn back and touch the lingering warmth, Liang Qu seized the boots, kicked down firmly, stepped solidly, the thin blanket behind slightly bulging, as if a serpent, a corner lifted, the dragon tail suddenly emerged, coiled around the waist.

Half a foot from the bed, fell back down again.

The Yao Long Eying, unexpectedly clingy, yet fighting spirit high.

Yao Long is different — at this time before, E Ying would rest and sleep, but now feels no fatigue; Liang Qu vaguely returned to the moment of Entering Zhen Xiang.

Pat the tail.

"Delayed for long, I must first go to the Eastern Sea; you continue sleeping, these days the fief and Long Gong affairs — "

"I'll help." Long Eying followed, rose, stepped into cotton shoes.

"No need to overexert yourself, just consolidate more, you haven't reached the peak yet."

"I'll listen to you."

The weather neither cold nor hot, no better time than this; if one could stay thus, it would be completeness, alas life never easily conforms to one's wishes.

Pressing lips together, palm sliding down, from collarbone to chest, from thigh to calf, firmly holding the ankle for a moment, thumb rubbing the delicate ankle bone, finally pulling apart, the dragon tail coiled around the waist slowly withdrew.

"Ding ling — "

Leaning by the corridor below, wind chimes swayed, swallows returned carrying branches to build nests, the sunlight warm and gentle, winter's chill completely gone, only mornings and evenings bringing a hint of cold.

Liang Qu stood.

Quietly basking in the sun for a while, eyes narrowed, all pores opened like soaking in a bath, waiting for the body's fragrance and fatigue to evaporate completely, then alone entered the quiet chamber to adjust breath.

Before long, Yuan Tou sent over three dazzling treasure fish, and the entire quiet room was enveloped in the silver light they radiated.

Pure Flow Silver Knife! Reverse Scale Chi Kiss! Cold Su Shuang!

"Don't know which is higher or lower in quality————"

Little Red Dragon, Turbid Yellow Earth, Patterned Streak Water, Ancient Wing Wood — these were produced by the Old Dragon Lord, suspected to correspond to the Five Elements; after Liang Qu took them, he returned them to the Old Dragon Lord and exchanged them for Long Wang Essence Blood.

E Ying's three here don't match the Five Elements; they're more like different derivations of the same attribute, seemingly somewhat inferior?

Didn't get to eat the Old Dragon Lord's, no way to compare.

Regardless, they are all rare treasure fish that can produce an effect on the current Liang Qu.

Since it's eating fish————

"Otter Otter Open!"

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Otter Otter Open flipped ten somersaults in a row, claws gripping sharp blades, shifting horizontally into the room, one claw pinning a treasure fish, a flash of knives and swords!

Snap snap snap.

Crystal-clear fish meat stacked up, fanning out in a ring, sharp claws lifting a small porcelain dish, brownish-red soy sauce swirling and spreading, placed on the red table.

Chopsticks scooped once.

【Water Marsh Essence +1272141】

【Water Marsh Essence +1555412】

【Water Marsh Essence +1499732】

【Water Marsh Essence +4.31 million】

【Water Marsh Essence: 50.15 million】!

Inside the Marsh Cauldron, the blue tide surged wildly, growing massively once again, as if a great sea existed within the cauldron.

Fifty million!

An unprecedented super record, impossible to spend in a lifetime; converted to Water Dragon Piercing Clouds, no, now it's Cang Ming Thunder Halberd, who knows how terrifying it could be.

Not just essence.

Three treasure fish entered the belly, refined in an instant; heat currents roamed and expanded through the four limbs and hundred bones; Liang Qu channeled all the gains into the Root Sea, and as per convention, the qi cluster of Rolling Stone into Elixir likewise exploded, cascading down.

2,697 times Root Sea, in a flash it truly crossed the 2,700 threshold, leaving all others in the dust!

Liang Qu didn't know what level this scale of Root Sea ranked in history, but a single increase was at a level that would make ninety-nine percent of doomed dragons curse.

A single increment larger than the base reserves of most people.

Universal Illumination, Rolling Stone into Elixir, treasure fish, heaven-and-earth essence strengthening the foundation — multi-pronged approach.

Heaven and earth resonated; within Pingyang Prefecture, martial artists of profound cultivation inexplicably sensed a trace of suppression.

March 18th.

2,864 times Root Sea wandered and coiled back, ceasing its obvious expansion trend.

Liang Qu exhaled a breath, just about to communicate via the spirit link, when he suddenly paused, inexplicably perceiving a faint trace of connection.

"This is————Bai Awei!?"

Following the link, Liang Qu experienced a unique aura of Position Fruit Authority!

Useful!? Authority derived onto him?

Liang Qu's heart was shaken, but he didn't lose composure, didn't go wild with joy; everything must wait for the dust to settle — being happy too early is of no use.

He continued with the work at hand.

Nearly late March, less than a year until the Great Hunt.

Though matters are many, one must first calm the mind and settle the breath, distinguish urgency and importance, handle them in order, only then can things proceed in an orderly fashion.

"Pingjiang!"

"My lord!"

"Go present a visiting card to the Southern Frontier, arrange a time with Grand Wu Xin."

"Yes."

After arranging this task, Liang Qu came to the pond.

"Splash."

Silver-white bubbles filled his vision.

Eyes closed, water surged like silk; countless soft white silk cloths were drawn from the void, wrapping into a ball, and then golden light shot forth!

Bai Mao wandered.

A ten-zhang White Ape leaped out!

Clenching his fist, Liang Qu felt a slight tension in his heart, but this wasn't the first time he'd faced the Whale Emperor in White Ape form; back with the Early Flood Dragon, they'd already met.

Several deep breaths.

Water pushed against his back, he sped toward the Long Gong to complete the "Stone in the River" handover.

Taking the Huaijiang outlet as the starting point, a vortex abruptly formed, an invisible waterway connecting to the East Sea.