Chapter 1502: Third Self-Cultivation, Attack and Defense Transformed (Combined Volume) ===GLOSSARY===

The path to advancement lies within it — The path to advancement — Advancement — The white noise of colliding and flowing river water passed through the cave mouth, infinitely amplified, his Adam's apple moving up and down, the old tribal chief's gaze went blank, echoing and re-echoing in his mind, his whole body trembling.

The Ba Snake swallowing an elephant, yes, the Ba Snake swallowing an elephant.

Promotion—

The white noise of colliding and flowing river water passed through the cave mouth, infinitely amplified, his Adam's apple shifting up and down, the old chieftain's gaze went blank, echoing and re-echoing in his mind, his whole body trembling.

The Ba Snake swallowing an elephant, yes, the Ba Snake swallowing an elephant.

Why, why didn't I think of it sooner——

The Ba Snake's promotion, and it's actually this close?

Ge Zu and Zhang Longxiang stood frozen in place.

"Of course, these are just my guesses, based solely on feeling and legend." Liang Qu suddenly spoke, "I am still young, many things I do not fully understand, I have never heard of a position fruit's promotion requiring the devouring of another position fruit."

Xin Daguang asked: "What exactly does the Huai King mean?"

The old chieftain's gradually warming mind rapidly cooled, his peripheral vision glancing at the Ba Snake in his hand, then looking toward Liang Qu.

"Chieftain, Xin Daguang, let me be frank, you probably already guess my relationship with Bai Yuan, nearly one body two lives, I can also be considered half a water sovereign, my aquatic beasts make no distinction between you and me.

Our relationship is like the natal gu of Nanjiang. In fact, my martial bone benefited greatly from the Ape King, producing a tremendous transformation!"

The old chieftain's pupils flickered slightly.

The relationship between Liang Qu and Bai Yuan is absolutely not simple, the guess of being akin to a natal gu has long existed in Nanjiang, merely stronger than a mere natal gu, or in terms of authority and utility, hearing Liang Qu personally admit it now is no surprise.

"Chieftain, Daguang, do you two know the basic principle of self-nurturing position fruits?"

The tone of speech suddenly shifted.

The old chieftain couldn't discern the before-and-after connection, nor did he wish to reveal too much of Nanjiang's records, clasping his hands: "Those who achieve are teachers, I wish to hear the details."

"An extreme transformation of a particular trait, this trait must be a high-level summary of the individual, while simultaneously linking to heaven and earth."

"How so?"

"Taking the Thousandfold Root Sea method as an example, what is the root sea? The Boundless Sea also.

The tiger-hunting essence, energy, and spirit united as one, forming the qi sea, Entering Zhen Xiang opening the heavenly gate allows connection to heaven and earth, the qi sea transforming into the Boundless Sea, thus the martial sage's root sea, the source of personal strength, essentially essence, energy, and spirit, this is the individual's high-level summary", inexhaustible and endless, essentially deriving from oneself to move heaven and earth into resonance.

Conversely, divine abilities cannot do this, divine abilities are not a summary of an individual's essence, at least not like the Dragon Elephant King's fate-bound divine abilities which cannot.

Before the third stage, the Thousandfold Root Sea allows for self-nurturing possibility. The Thousandfold Root Sea is the foundational baseline for connecting to heaven and earth.

Simultaneously, from the third stage to the Awakened Realm, there is also a guaranteed ten temple-sittings, transformation and elevation of self, developing the Immortal Isle trait to the extreme, thus this is the essence of the Thousandfold Root Sea method.

Liang Qu spoke righteously: "Exactly! This is one of my transformations, including the Dragon Elephant King, whose fate is also a summary, and also the extreme linking with heaven and earth; furthermore, I have made another discovery."

The old chieftain pondered: "I have heard, does the Huai King possess martial sage primal yang?"

Long Eying's face flushed awkwardly.

Liang Qu spoke righteously: "Exactly! This is one of my transformations, including the Dragon Elephant King, whose fate is also a summary, likewise the ultimate connection to heaven and earth, and I also have a discovery."

"Please speak."

The old chieftain was very respectful, regarding self-nurturing position fruits, he was completely a raw recruit, everything he saw and heard today could serve as a secret transmission scroll, worth a thousand gold.

If willing to speak, then speak more.

Record it all, leave it for the posterity of Nanjiang.

"As long as the root sea takes the integer thousandfold, multiple extremes, then it becomes possible to nurture a second, third!"

"How is that possible?" Xin Daguang blurted out without thinking, "A thousandfold is already exaggerated enough, even I, over eight hundred years old, have never known anything beyond a thousand——"

"——" Liang Qu raised his index finger, making a shushing gesture.

The old chieftain's brow twitched, recalling Liang Qu's exaggerated feats when he Entered Zhen Xiang.

One person overwhelmingly consuming three hundred Entering Zhen Xiang.

Xin Daguang also couldn't utter a word.

Liang Qu asked with a smile: "When I was the Dragon King's consort, do you recall, Xin Daguang, that you didn't come to Ehe River to observe?"

Xin Daguang shook his head: "The northern court road is distant, requiring crossing the Great Shun, then arriving at Ehe River, at that time though I had some awareness, I did not send a visit notice, nor could I rashly go. I had heard rumors, heard that when the Dragon King was born, heaven sent thunder tribulation, we today have also prepared to resist the thunder tribulation."

"That thunder tribulation was aimed at me, not at my consort.

Xin Daguang: "?"

Zhang Longxiang's eyes flickered repeatedly.

"At that time I had not advanced in stage, nor obtained any great increase in root sea, many people couldn't see what I had gained, only feeling strange, quite normal." Liang Qu turned his head, "Dragon Elephant King, have you ever had any guesses?"

Zhang Longxiang opened his mouth, he didn't know why Liang Qu wanted to blatantly expose these, but given the atmosphere, he sighed: "Second self-nurtured position fruit?"

Dead silence.

Absolute dead silence.

Drip, drip.

The cave's moisture grew heavier, water droplets splashing consecutively.

Ge Zu pulled out two beard hairs.

What the hell?

How did the thunder tribulation not strike you dead?

Second position fruit, self-nurtured?

He could understand each of these two words individually, but together why couldn't he understand?

The Third Prince came and went, spitting out tables, chairs, stools, and incense burners.

Liang Qu gripped the Green Wolf, silently cutting his palm to let blood flow into the bowl, calculating his fate, tapping the table with his finger joints, vibrating the dark gray: "That was me pushing the second trait to the extreme, while I also have a second thousandfold root sea, with saplings, with soil——"

"Boom!"

Terrifying pressure spread across heaven and earth, sweeping over Qingshan!

In an instant, the earth trembled, stones bounced, the yellowish muddy debris flow tumbled and surged, crashing into the Lu Cang River, mighty waves surging skyward, turning turbid yellow.

"Pfft!"

Xie Hongyu spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, which shot onto the rock, leaving a crimson crescent.

The false dragon was startled.

Bai Zu's scalp tingled, his hair standing on end, and he immediately rushed into the cave.

"Bai Zu!"

Bai Zu stopped, hearing the chieftain's shout and seeing the scene inside the cave.

A long table spanned across, and the black-gray celestial dragon spread its wings and soared!

Bai Zu froze.

What a magnificent celestial dragon soaring in the sky, utterly indescribable in words.

"Whoa!"

A long wind howled within the cave.

The aura came swiftly and departed just as quickly, vanishing in an instant.

The old chieftain's chest heaved a few times before he managed to squeeze out: "No harm done, Bai Zu Da Xian, go out and show the Huai King and us some————abilities."

Bai Zu Da Xian's steps hesitated, his gaze struggling to leave, after repeatedly observing several times: "Good."

The grass at the cave entrance pushed aside the rocks and stood upright once more.

"Bai Zu Ye, what's going on?" Xie Hongyu struggled to climb up.

"Nothing." Bai Zu's gaze was complex as he lifted his knee cover, reseated himself cross-legged, "Some demonstrations, this place is too dangerous, Hongyu, you should go down first."

Xie Hongyu stiffened his neck, his face awkward.

Only Bai Zu Da Xian remained nearby; the others had long since withdrawn. He stayed at the entrance due to being the chieftain's grandson and out of concern, which led to him being the only one who vomited blood.

"Alright, Bai Zu Ye, please be careful."

Inside the cave.

Everyone stared intently at the incense-ash dragon.

"The root sea connects heaven and earth; the vaster the root sea, the greater the overwhelming force in confrontation, to the point of rendering the opponent unable to exert their strength.

Likewise, others can estimate the opponent's root sea size through aura comparison, Chieftain, have you sensed the magnitude of my root sea?"

"Two thousand five, no, more! Two thousand eight?"

Liang Qu nodded: "Approximately, two thousand eight hundred sixty-six."

"

"

1

"

Ge Zu glanced at his own, then looked up at the sky.

Where is the heavenly tribulation?

"Chieftain, Da Xian, I lost my mother young, my father at fourteen, and became a disciple at fifteen, studying under Mr. Zhao Wu, who calculated my fate, saying the long dragon walks the river, and my future is either transformation into a dragon or facing a great calamity, which must be met with action.

I am fortunate to have encountered my master, mistress, and senior fellow disciples; to this day, I believe my master should be proud of me.

On the day my wife transformed into the Dragon King, I thought of the Dragon Elephant King, whose self-cultivation, using the owl god to seize the life-death fate as the foundation for transformation—why cannot I emulate this? The root sea is the foundation of the flood dragon, and fate is the foundation of a person—why not borrow momentum to emulate, to walk the long dragon through the river, transform into a flying dragon in the heavens, and reach the ultimate metamorphosis?

Fortunately, my luck has been good—I have succeeded————"

Threads of authority aura leaked out.

Very tender, like a sapling, everyone could feel "change," "flow," and "ubiquity" from it.

Breathing grew heavy, and the old chieftain even forgot why Liang Qu would say so much, revealing these priceless secrets to him.

In stillness.

Dead silence.

Drip.

Another water droplet fell, splashing, the pool expanding with ripples.

Shi Potian was startled.

Heaven-shaking waves!

The eyes, threaded with blood, all turned in unison toward the other side of the cauldron.

One fierce ape, one giant ape.

Second position fruit, self-nurtured?

Thoughts like lightning, tearing through the mind.

The chieftain and Xin Da Xian understood, fully understood—nearly three thousand times the root sea, the third one-thousand-fold, the ultimate metamorphosis of martial bone and fate————

Self-nurtured position fruit!

Third self-nurtured position fruit!

No wonder, no wonder————

Using the root sea, using fate, and again using martial bone?

Ge Zu lifted his head to gaze at the sky, puzzled why the electricity still hadn't come.

Liang Qu spoke earnestly: "When I first arrived in Nanjiang, I was actually puzzled—why would a minor position fruit grant me intuition, and how could intuition arise? Could it be because I am connected to the Ape King, and the Ape King, naturally heavenly nurtured, is more perceptive?

After refining the minor position fruit, negative effects often arise—how then could it aid my metamorphosis of martial bone? I can only speculate that the myriad phenomena themselves enhance vitality? And the Ape King, renowned for boundless strength, might embellish my metamorphosed martial bone, or even provide timely aid.

Until I saw the Ba Snake, I suddenly understood—perhaps it is not the minor position fruit that enables metamorphosis, but the middle position fruit; only after refining the middle position fruit can there be benefit, only then can it assist my metamorphosis!

Perhaps I could have a third self-nurtured position fruit!"

The chieftain and Da Xian were speechless.

Liang Qu struck while the iron was hot: "With nothing to do, Mr. Lan of the Directorate of Astronomy and I have mused on this—under heaven, I may be the one most likely to have a chance to become a rainbow. The Heavenly Dragon at one point, the furnace at one place, becoming a rainbow in one realm.

This is the speculation under heaven about the Four Passes and Seven Ways, but how is it one realm? Three self-nurturings, arising simultaneously from myself, interconnected, growing together—could they, in the stance of three legs supporting a cauldron, serve as a breakthrough to propel oneself? Between heaven and earth, the triangle is the most stable.

The Vajra Wisdom King also told me, the sixth consciousness—"

"Gurgle!"

The old tribal chief was numb.

He watched Liang Qu speak eloquently and earnestly, then glanced at Xin the Great Elder beside him.

Riding a tiger, hard to dismount.

Having obtained such crucial inheritance information, the principle of self-nurturing ought to have been cause for joy, yet suddenly it became a hot potato.

First, for the Ba Snake to advance, it needs the Myriad Phenomena Position Fruit.

How will he henceforth deal with Xin the Great Elder? And now, giving the Myriad Phenomena in exchange for the Dragon King and the minor Position Fruit—does that transaction still count? Xin the Great Elder is venerable and respected; will the Myriad Phenomena henceforth have ambitious contenders? How will the two strongholds get along?

The Dragon King desires what he desires; the advancement of the Position Fruit is also what he desires.

The middle Position Fruit and the minor Position Fruit cannot be spoken of on the same day.

Second—

Trans—

Rainbow light extends a hundred thousand li, hence the term "becoming a rainbow."

Three self-nurturings, arising from one person, three legs supporting a cauldron—can they become a rainbow?

The old tribal chief does not know; he doesn't even understand how the furnace works.

Originally beneficial only to the martial bones, he turned around and told him, and it became an opportunity to become a rainbow.

This is entirely another matter.

Perhaps Liang Qu means no threat, but in fact.

To carry a jade is to invite guilt.

Liang Qu's furnace is evident to anyone—this is the present age, no, from ancient times to now, the person most likely to become an immortal; even if his own ancestors, the Immortal of Linchuan, these heroes and outstanding figures, before furnaces, could not possibly possess a "furnace bearing" more than Liang Qu!

Two self-nurturings, upon reaching the furnace, will also inevitably be of the highest rank; if after the furnace Liang Qu suddenly wishes to go further, to explore the boundless path, fantasizing about becoming a rainbow, he thought of today, of today's missed opportunity—how should Nanjiang conduct itself?

Nanjiang is not the Great Shun, lacking past favors to serve as a "shield."

Unless Liang Qu is executed here.

Only such a latent, possibly future threat will dissipate like smoke and clouds.

Execute Liang Qu?

The old tribal chief, out of the corner of his eye, glanced at Liang Qu, then at Zhang Dragon-Elephant, and gooseflesh rose along his spine, feeling his back drenched in sweat.

Why is Liang Qu not a person of Nanjiang?

If he were a person of Nanjiang, I would not now be so torn, and would simply have given it.

Liang Qu swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his words a little dry-tongued.

He exerted all his strength to operate.

Inverting the advancement sequence, obscuring the rainbow path, exaggerating the importance of the Position Fruit—conceal what should be concealed, mislead what should be misled. Should one stir the other's thoughts, at least to give them a trace, a possibility of letting go?

But the greatest opportunity is not here.

Liang Qu pondered in the cave for a day, finally emerging after discovering a cognitive obstacle.

Besides the old tribal chief being able to decide whether to give or not, in fact there is another person who can decide whether the trade proceeds!

Perhaps that person does not yet know.

Straw Hat Elder!

But the Straw Hat Elder likewise has risk: first, can the discourse on three self-nurturings move him? Second, does the other party believe, and are they willing to witness the birth of a rainbow?

"Tribal Chief, Great Elder—" Liang Qu sighed, wanting to speak but stopping, difficult to begin, "An IOU already makes me embarrassed; I truly cannot be shameless, and simultaneously demand two Position Fruits—even if now changed, in the future repaying the middle Position Fruit, it would be empty words without proof—"

The old tribal chief:

"

He has no mind-reading technique, cannot see how much of this is true, how much false.

"Then, first advance the Dragon King." Liang Qu looked toward the cave mouth, golden eyes revealing inner agility, "The timing is not far off, the Position Fruits have already been produced, though uncertain whether they will be exchanged, yet according to the prior agreement, since confirmed, naturally one should fulfill the Dragon King matter; if the tribal chief is willing, naturally best—accepting disciples, IOUs, as long as you can agree, I can agree."

"Wait! The Dragon King matter is not urgent."

The old tribal chief took half a step forward, blocking Liang Qu, his mind racing wildly.

He suspected Liang Qu had been dawdling all day, actually trying to find a way, but lacking evidence; now he lacks the same leisurely time to think.

The Dragon King absolutely cannot be completed for now—if completed, it would be unclear, and even more of a dilemma.

What to do?

Impossible to turn one IOU into two, or temporarily upgrade into a middle Position Fruit IOU.

Sweat poured forth, the heat unbearable.

Cicadas emerge in the sixth month, but in Nanjiang, aside from winter, the other three seasons all have them; just now, after Liang Qu's fright, within a radius of dozens of li there were no insects, yet the old tribal chief felt there were ten thousand cicadas in the cave, restless and calling.

The old tribal chief asked: "Cannot the Huai King be analyzed?"

"What does that mean?"

"Since it is merely a transformation of the martial bones, why not let the Huai King advance the Ba Snake, wait until the third Position Fruit self-nurtures successfully, then return the middle Position Fruit after advancement!"

Liang Qu frowned tightly: "With only one Position Fruit, how will Xin the Great Elder fare?"

"When the time comes, we will re-split it!" The old tribal chief gritted his teeth, "In the past, Fengyi could split into Feng Fruit and Yi Fruit—could we not split the middle Position Fruit after advancement? If not, the middle Position Fruit is still given to Xin the Great Elder!"

Xin the Great Elder was moved.

The old tribal chief laid it all on the line—he must first stabilize the situation, personal gains and losses to be discussed later.

Liang Qu pondered for a long time, then shook his head.

"Why?" the old chieftain asked in surprise.

"Chieftain, I have more than one position fruit on me," Liang Qu said helplessly.

The old chieftain was speechless, then suddenly realized.

Liang Qu explained: "Unlike you, chieftain, and the Great Manifestation, I have two self-nurtured position fruits and one refined position fruit on me. After death, they separate—wouldn't that mean all are separated? Once the self-nurtured position fruits separate and recombine, can they still serve the purpose of following growth? Or would they need to be refined again? If not, the cost is too great, the risk too great."

"Then marry me, a Southern Border Holy Maiden! And bear offspring! At least two! Raised by my Southern Border, whenever you become pregnant, whenever we discuss it!"

Shen Dacheng's eyes lit up.

Long Eying: "?"

Liang Qu politely declined: "Even if I agreed, Your Majesty would not consent."

"You still agree?" Long Eying couldn't hold back.

"No, I don't agree," Liang Qu corrected himself.

Inside the cave, a moment of silence fell. Long Eying stayed silent for a moment, then blurted out: "I think it's feasible, it's a solution."

"No!" Liang Qu rejected.

"You saying no doesn't count—first, keep it open. Whether to have offspring or not, we'll ask the Holy Emperor again." Long Eying decided.

The old royal steward had no choice but to resort to the delaying tactic: "The grand formation can still last three days. Huai Wang, give me two more days to think it over."

Liang Qu didn't really want to give him thinking space, but not giving it would feel like scorching pressure.

"Good!"

Sweat ceased. The old chieftain heard that "good" and felt as if cold water had been poured over his head. He exhaled sharply, his oppressed thoughts rebounding back, his mind refreshed.

Ge Zu glanced at the chieftain, then at Liang Qu, always feeling something was off.

At first, it was clearly Liang Qu who wanted the position fruit. Why was the old chieftain so anxious?

Where was the turning point?

Leaving the cave, Liang Qu didn't idle. He quickly had Long Pingjiang and Long Pinghe write letters to contact the Holy Emperor, report the situation, and then sought out the old toad.

Ba snake, silkworm fruit, abyss fruit, Du fruit—choose one to swallow.

We cannot fully rely on the Southern Border; success or failure remains unknown. According to the ba snake's nature and the names of the other three, Liang Qu speculated about the other two, roughly knowing some of their traits.

"National Preceptor!"

The old toad scratched his buttocks, sank into thought.

Finally, shaking the chieftain's mind wasn't enough; we must produce sufficient, non-loaned genuine gold and silver———

Liang Qu gazed toward the false dragon circling between the mountains.

If the Yellow Dragon King is Fengyi, and Ehe is Bingyuan, if the Lu Cangjiang Dragon King could self-nurture, what position fruit would it be?

Does it have hope of nurturing an "Abyss"?

Aside from Xuanhuang, heavenly and earthly position fruits cannot coexist. But Abyss and Bingyuan—these are two different matters, two position fruits.

But how can the false dragon self-nurture?

Even adding the whale pearl isn't enough; the whale pearl is merely a "minor" opportunity, like when the flood dragon treated it as a speed bump. Even if one surpasses the Dragon King, looking at it, there seems no chance.

"Wait!"

Suddenly, a "tortoise thing" popped into Liang Qu's mind—not just one "tortoise thing," but two: a real tortoise and a false tortoise!

Jianghuai.

Frog tribe's territory.

Spring river water warm, lotus leaves swaying, shadows covering half the face, fat fish dragging its chin, sighing, double whiskers holding red light, regretting taking leave, not following the divine steed before and after.

How can cultivation let its loyalty be dulled by dust!

Moreover, it hasn't cultivated———

Red light flows, wandering uncertainly.

The fat fish originally wanted to eat it, but one gulp, a third-level divine power already able to stand invincible. After swallowing the essence of heaven and earth, wouldn't it be able to flatten and round the treacherous external relatives?

Just then, it suddenly remembered its undercover mission, stuffed it into the throat and spat it out again.

The divine being has long coveted the flood dragon's body, constantly pondering how to break the dragon-subduing altar, hindered by the whale king not allowing action. As a humerus bone, could it use this treasure to display its undercover loyalty, luring out the flood dragon?

The whiskers left and right entwined, tangled into a mess.

Can't bear to———

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