Chapter 1553: Rare (Asking for Monthly Tickets, Two-in-One)

"Husband, are you done being busy?" Long Eying smiled.

"Hah, can't really say I'm done, just a temporary pause, really. Huff——utterly exhausted, worn out to death."

Under that lingering gaze, Liang Qu stepped forward, feigning a wipe of his brow sweat. "First time doing this, no experience. Originally thought building the Heavenly Palace and the Underworld would be simple, just fiddle a bit and done. Turns out it's that troublesome once you actually start. Took five or six days, just barely got a start, a total mess——"

"That truly was hard work on you, Huai Xian." The Empress laughed. "Already a Rainbow Transformation cultivator yet still this diligent. If I were Huai Xian, let alone for others, even for myself I'd surely be a lazy sort, impossible to drive to work no matter who urged me."

"No wonder Your Majesty can't become an immortal." Lady Xu teased. "Those who can become immortals must have great perseverance, great ability, must be diligent people who can't rest a single day."

"So that's the reason." The Empress realized.

"Ah, the Empress and Mother are here too."

Liang Qu sweating profusely, expression unchanged, immediately cut off the two women's back-and-forth banter. "Hah, not hard, not hard. After all, it's——serving everyone! Once the Two Realms are built in the future, we'll definitely ascend to the Heavenly Palace to enjoy blessings."

"Haha, borrowing Huai Xian's auspicious words."

Lady Xu and the Empress exchanged a smile.

Done teasing, the two said no more, using the excuse of arranging the Grand Ceremony, and quietly withdrew from the side hall.

From the Great Hunt in late February until now, a full three or four months had passed. Afterwards, though the Huai King awakened and immediately resurrected everyone, Eying managed the Grand Ceremony. Counting carefully, the young couple truly hadn't seen each other for a long time, not to mention the worry and anxiety during the Great Hunt in between.

The people gone, emptiness.

The vast Water Lord Hall, in a blink left only Liang Qu and Long Eying, two people.

"Hualala——"

Bubbles squeezed out from the roots of the aquatic plants, clinging to the leaf stems, rolling upward bit by bit.

Seated behind the vermilion long table, the throne back soaring high to the ceiling, Long Eying's gaze in her eyes grew even deeper. Legs crossed, squeezing out curves, arms hugged across her chest.

"Hehehe." Liang Qu rubbed his hands, climbed the steps, took Eying's small hand. "Madam, why this unyielding expression? Unhappy? Is arranging the Grand Ceremony too tiring? Sigh, these things are indeed troublesome, too many details.

Just woke up then, patted my head, thought June 12th was a good day. Didn't expect the arrangements would be this tight. By the time I reacted, the words were already spoken, too late to take back. Come, let me massage Madam's feet, relax, relax. Rainbow Transformation cultivator massaging feet, you know."

Hand hadn't even warmed up, Long Eying's tall boots on her feet were made to come off, soles landing in the warm palms. Blood circulation sped up a few degrees. She lightly retracted her legs, pulling back her soles.

"I am unhappy."

Bad.

Truly angry.

Should've played two days less, not returned cutting it so close.

Liang Qu's hand empty, heart tightened. Just wanted to open his mouth to quibble, then heard a sigh.

Long Eying leaned forward, cheek drawing near, tidied Liang Qu's collar, two hands folded the inner lining neat and pressed it down. The airflow of her sigh swirled, brushing his face. "Unhappy why Husband had to be in such a rush. How much can a nap recover? Just barely got past the Whale Emperor and Great Li's Taizu, why the rush to prepare the Heavenly Palace and Underworld?

I'm already a Yao Dragon. The Grand Ceremony matters, time is tight, but would only find it troublesome. Compared to Husband, where could I feel tired?

These five or six days, going to the Southern Border Immortal to fish, finding Ko Wenbin and them to play cards, going with Uncle Grandfather to Tiannanhaibei to find good food, even finding people to show off to. However I play and enjoy, all can let me be at ease while busy, happy in the midst of it.

Husband idle, instead makes me feel I'm not so useless, able to handle external affairs. Not busy one stretch then busy another, making me both heart-ached and a total mess, worried I'll do poorly and let down Husband's efforts——"

Even worse.

Liang Ashui, you really deserve to die, what exactly are you doing?

Is fishing that fun?

Liang Qu at a loss.

Half a moment.

Scratching his temple, unable to withstand his conscience's interrogation, Liang Qu confessed leniently. "Cough cough, actually, I really wasn't busy. Used one day after resurrecting everyone, then ran off to the Southern Border to fish with the Straw Hat Weng for five days. Felt nothing was up so came back."

Long Eying startled, grabbed Liang Qu's collar in one hand. "Eh, you really went fishing."

Liang Qu: "?"

Not long after.

Long Eying covered her mouth and laughed.

Liang Qu reacted, laughed along, one arm circled her waist, pressed her onto the seat.

"Good, daring to tease Husband? You're unhappy, so I become the brainless one?"

"No no, ah haha, don't tickle me, haha——I was wrong——"

Laughter swirled.

Tatu poked his head in from outside, originally wanted to ask what's for dinner tonight. Seeing the two embracing and laughing, called twice, no response. Scratched his butt, shed two tufts of fur, decided to come back later.

Huffing and panting.

Clearly already a Yao Dragon, stamina infinite, yet strangely seems to drain fast when laughing.

"Huff——Husband finished fighting the war, just play well from now on. The rest, family matters, all have me." Long Eying smoothed her collar anew, stretched her feet into Liang Qu's hands. "Specially permitted to massage feet, this is your reward."

"Reward? Clearly a punishment!"

"Oh~"

"Cough, but I choose to accept the punishment. You know me, I always admit when wrong, law-abiding."

Liang Qu sat opposite across the table, experiencing the warmth of the soles, kneading the soft flesh of the feet. White pearl-like toes rose and fell unevenly along with it.

Long Eying crescent-moon eyes, leaned against the throne, leaned on the armrest, propped chin, quietly watching.

The dim yellow sunlight gradually darkened, jellyfish slowly lit up blue light.

The fire trees and silver flowers outside the main gate bloomed with light, becoming a small sun within the Dragon Court.

Long-lost tranquility and leisure.

Long Eying's brows and eyes curved more and more.

In memory, in the five or six years since Liang Qu became a Yao Dragon, it'd been a long time since such relaxation. Like many years ago, watching fireflies in Huazhu County, watching udumbara flowers on Taicang——

"Did you figure it out early on?" Liang Qu puzzled. "Heard it with the 'Ear Recognition Technique'?"

"The 'Ear Recognition Technique' how would it work on my Rainbow Transformation Husband? Your clothes all smell of fish. Remember to wash clean next time, change clothes before coming back." Long Eying crescent-moon eyes, propped chin. "Furthermore, Husband is such a diligent person, how would I not know?"

"That's malicious slander." Liang Qu unconvinced.

"Hmm." Long Eying reached out and pinched the page of the book, handing it forward. "Want to take a look at tomorrow's schedule?"

"No rush, I'll look later." Liang Qu suddenly remembered why he had come back now instead of later, "With my great-grandfather Xu here, there's definitely no problem. Oh right, I mentioned earlier I had a surprise—time to—"

Long Eying exclaimed in surprise: "Take me to see my parents?"

"???"

Halfway through his sentence, he cut off abruptly.

Liang Qu stiffly turned his head.

Long Eying laughed even more fiercely, both hands pinching Liang Qu's cheeks, squeezing: "Got it right? I thought a good husband would wait until the grand ceremony to arrange a meeting, so as to give me a 'surprise'?"

Liang Qu felt both embarrassed and gloomy, opening his mouth, after a long while: "That's not it, no, you, you how did you know? Shi Tou this rebellious disciple? Surely not the Grand Elder?"

"My grandfather knows?" This time it was Long Eying's turn to be shocked.

Liang Qu felt embarrassed, tilted his head back to gaze at the sky.

Covering his mouth, Grand Elder.

"No, no one told me." Long Eying was a bit annoyed with Deng Yingshen, sat up straight, legs extended, feet lightly tapping Liang Qu's stomach, toes curling to grip, "I figured it out."

Liang Qu lowered his head in shock.

"It was my foster mother." Long Eying added.

"My mother figured it out?"

Long Eying shook her head: "That day you woke up, revived everyone, announced you would let me ascend the throne as empress, the next day my foster mother and Lord Xu came to help. I noticed her eye sockets were a bit red, as if she hadn't slept well, or as if she had cried, I asked if something had happened—"

—"

Liang Qu fell silent.

He roughly guessed what the reason was.

"After that I thought, perhaps my husband didn't just revive those who died this time, either he couldn't do it, or he hadn't thought of it. Otherwise, it must be hidden somewhere, prepared to give me a 'surprise', just as my husband said he would give a surprise."

Liang Qu suddenly felt sad: "If only I could achieve rainbow ascension earlier."

"It's already good enough, in this world what is perfect?" Long Eying embraced Liang Qu, pulling him into her arms, patting his back, "How early counts as not late? Rainbow ascension at thirty-three, unmatched under heaven, everyone is grateful to you. That day my foster mother said she was fortunate, Master Yang could take you in."

"Hey————"

Lay still for a while.

"My parents can————is it related to the realm?"

"Yes, not in my world, ordinary people dissipate without trace in half a month, second senior brother, at that time there were only galloping horses, not yet beacon smoke, three years later there were none."

"Then how could it be earlier? At that time you weren't even born yet?"

"So even earlier, I was born fifty years earlier, that would be about enough."

Long Eying smiled, touched the back of her head: "That way I'd be younger than you, could you still meet me?"

"Also right————then everyone would be born fifty years earlier."

"Everyone born fifty years earlier, would Master Yang still return to Pingyang?"

"I would join the army, go to Liuginhai to fish."

"Good." Long Eying's crescent-moon eyes, she softly said, "Everyone born fifty years earlier."

Lying quietly in the warm embrace, breathing softly, Liang Qu exhaled, a faint fragrance seeped through his clothes, until completely submerged in water, no light remained, the new moon hung suspended.

"I feel I am now being played by you in the palm of your hand."

"Huh? How so?"

"After all the trouble to make a surprise, it was so easily guessed by you, very disappointing."

"After all, knowing the roots and basics, though I didn't guess too much, like where you hid my parents? Should have been several days already?"

"Haha, is it dark under the lamp?" Liang Qu energized, "You didn't guess this?"

"Wang Fu?"

"Bright as ice and snow! Come, let me take you to see."

Liang Qu waved his hand, about to summon Yinglong flow, when Eying stopped him.

Hesitant expression, Long Eying asked: "Can————we go by swimming? Don't want to go too fast."

Liang Qu startled, immediately agreed: "Sure, let's go."

Bathing in moonlight, the two exited the Dragon Palace, unhurriedly heading home.

"I thought my husband would wait until the grand ceremony to give the surprise————"

"I was afraid you'd be embarrassed." Liang Qu explained, "This thing is always a private matter, when the time comes many people come to watch, putting it on display wouldn't do.

Doing this before the grand ceremony is just so that my father-in-law and mother-in-law can witness it with their own eyes, as for moving, it's still better kept private, tonight is just right."

Long Eying's eyes flickered, she quietly gazed at Liang Qu's side profile.

The cold moonlight shone, half light, half dark.

Like a carved marble sculpture, jade-white carving.

Suddenly, the sculpture grinned, instantly breaking the atmosphere.

"How is it, isn't it handsome?"

"Hmm, very handsome."

Long Eying's crescent-moon eyes, she already didn't know how many times she had raised her eyebrows today.

Liang Qu asked: "Do you still have any impression of your parents?"

"Yes————not much, but the impression is very deep." Long Eying's eyes flashed with a trace of longing, "I started having impressions from a very young age, those elders, seniors would come to my door, always wanting to draw blood.

When I reached three years old, they verified my bloodline concentration, then always with a solemn face instilled in me the affairs of dragon people, flood dragons, letting me in the future cultivate well, seek the Dragon Lord, avenge grudges, my grandfather couldn't stop it.

At that time I feared those elders greatly, now I still remember clearly, also remember each time after the elders came, my parents let me not worry, with them around, but later they too were gone.

After that————"

"And then? They pressed even harder?"

Long Eying sighed, then couldn't help laughing: "No, not really. After that, very few people came to talk to me, to chat with me."

"Why?"

"Because many elders also passed away with my parents. That was the last major battle before I met you."

Liang Qu was surprised, then gave an embarrassed smile.

"So, after a period of displacement, once things settled, the pressure was actually less than before. But occasionally, there would be one or two."

Grandfather was busy, didn't have much time to look after me or guide me. I had no choice, so I practiced martial arts alone in the King Lotus Pond, and those elders would leave feeling reassured. Over time, I also became accustomed to this.

"It's all your doing!"

Liang Qu suddenly pulled out the flood dragon and gave it two big punches to the nostrils.

The flood dragon was dazed for a moment, confused, then blinked again and returned to the earth's hidden depths.

Long Eying laughed.

Walking hand in hand, they talked on and on, saying many things.

The two arrived at the garden's entrance to the Jianghuai region, passed through the long corridor, and reached beneath the pond.

Looking up, through the green-eyed snail flower, the flowing ripples revealed the silvery-white moon.

Long Eying took a deep breath, trying to recall her parents from memory.

"Ah, I can't hold on—I've lost all my strength!"

"Good opportunity, Third Prince, go on! Stay focused, don't lose face."

"Hahaha, evil deeds inevitably lead to self-destruction, fatty! You've got your comeuppance today—committing countless sins, heaven won't spare you, karma's come calling—die, fatty! Take my Lightning Poison Dragon Drill!"

"Ha, my strength has returned! I return to the world today—all traitors must die, the time of reckoning has come! Who is the villain?"

"What? How could it happen so fast! No, fatty boss, I'm a loyal subject! I was just blinded, it was Awei—yes, Awei poisoned me!"

"Yeah, he's loyal!"

"Pfft! Internal injury, it's an internal injury—damn it, Third Prince, you ambushed me. I hadn't fully recovered my strength, yet I took your divine ability head-on, and now I can't go on again—"

"Another good chance, go on, Third Prince! We've come out of blades and spears rolling."

"Hand over your life, Lightning Poison Dragon Drill—"

"Hey, my injury has healed! Now it's, the second moment of reckoning!"

"No, Third Prince, run fast."

"Ribbit, fatty boss, spare me—it was Awei who told me to do this, don't settle accounts with me."

"Ah, I rose too fast, didn't lay a solid foundation, I can't go on again."

"Lightning Poison Dragon Drill!"

"Ha! I'm healed again!"

"Poison Dragon Drill!"

"Ah!"

"Drill! Drill! Drill!"

Fat Fish, Third Prince, and a somewhat familiar yet strange male voice mixed together, the garden buzzing with noise.

In an extremely short time, continuous reversals, reversals, and more reversals.

Long Eying inexplicably felt this routine was somewhat familiar.

She quietly emerged from the water.

Long Eying crouched on a stone, fidgeting.

Fat Fish collapsed helplessly, Third Prince laughed wildly to the heavens, spat out a white dragon, and the drill-like head jabbed into his belly.

Fat Fish rolled over, pinned Third Prince down, laughed triumphantly, kneaded and rolled him, then pulled him back and forth between his legs.

After a while.

Fat Fish seemed unsure how to proceed, scratched his head, held Third Prince down under his buttocks, carefully pulled out a little book to flip through and inspect, examining it word by word, sentence by sentence.

"Day one: pretend to lose strength; day two: strength returns, ruthlessly settle accounts; day three: pretend to be seriously injured; day four: injury heals, ruthlessly settle accounts; day five: pretend to have already fallen; day six: return for a second life, ruthlessly settle accounts—"

Long Eying's sharp eyes, aided by moonlight, finally made things clear—she finally remembered why it felt familiar.

"Ah, I'm dead!"

Fat Fish put away his little book, spread it on the ground, his two whiskers drooping, sticking out his tongue.

"Hahaha!" Third Prince struggled to crawl out from under the buttocks, "Good opportunity, Lightning Poison Dragon—"

"You remember to eat but not to get hit!" Liang Qu grabbed a handful of Third Prince's mane.

"Ah, let go of me, let go of me, good opportunity, I want revenge!" Third Prince twisted twice, realized he couldn't break free, looked up, "Ah, Boss! How did you come, and is Eying Sister here too? Wah wah wah, Eying Sister, my life is so hard."

"Third Prince———Fat Fish is deceiving you."

Long Eying raised a hand to her forehead, caught Third Prince, rubbed his mane, and revealed the answer.

"What?" Third Prince startled, "It didn't die?"

Long Eying took a deep breath: "It hasn't lost its strength, nor suffered serious injury."

Fat Fish secretly opened one eye.

"Ah?"

Liang Qu kicked Fat Fish with his foot, his belly wobbling like a water balloon: "Awei!"

Fat Fish scrambled up, his long whiskers shooting to the heavens, folding ninety degrees, then turning and folding sixty degrees toward the divine rear.

Third Prince couldn't believe it: "You you you———"

Liang Qu scolded: "Awei, with great power comes great responsibility—having power, how can you act recklessly? One family of fish, you must love and cherish each other."

Fat Fish let his long whiskers droop.

The third prince raised his tail, claws on hips: "No problem!"

Fists waving pincers, applying to use authority, lifting the ban, he struck the fat fish hard with electricity, guaranteeing no large-scale destruction.

Liang Qu hesitated.

"Hey, son-in-law!" Long You's eyes lit up as he jumped onto the bank, "Where have you been these days? These little toys you're raising are truly rare, full of spirit, and the management of Yixing is truly not bad either—just the Hero Association is too difficult; I suggest strengthening Huai Wang."

Liang Qu laughed: "I'm about to launch a Rainbow·Huai Wang and an Immortal·Huai Wang!"

"Good, good, good—this is great. I want all skins, all heroes, uh, and who is this? Such a handsome young lady, prettier than Xiao Yao and Xiao Li, whose family is she from?"

Long Eying stood frozen in place.

The man's face merged with a distant memory, seamless and tight.

Only, his personality had some deviation, not tall and steady—

"Father-in-law, it's your family—" Liang Qu didn't finish his sentence.

Long You suddenly had someone slap his forehead, then bent down.

Long Xi Ti walked out from behind, eyes Wang Wang.

Long Eying's memory was seamless and tight, while Long You's and Long Xi Ti's memories were completely shattered; picking up the fragments, bit by bit, they

pieced together and fit with the big girl before them.

Moonlight gleamed, people glistened.

Liang Qu adjusted brightness, rendered lighting, set the mood—"cannot move" made the tanhua bloom, round heads made sea angels glow, fists swept away debris.

The bruised and swollen third prince spat white mist, the fat fish elongated its whiskers, playing a melody.

Da He Li grabbed a plank, gnawed a heart-shaped wooden tag, otter otter looked left and right, put down dinner, then did a somersault in place.

Long Eying and Long Xi Ti pressed foreheads together, face to face, tears streaming down.

At the corridor turn, Long Yao and Long Li secretly wiped their eyes.

Long You came to, rubbing the back of his head.

"No wonder he's so handsome—turns out he's my offspring."