Chapter 1554

The otter opened its mouth with a series of gulps and backflips: the river otter crunched on a heart-shaped bite; the plump fish closed its eyes in bliss, its fins fluttering against its taut whiskers, playing a soaring, pleasant melody.

The moonlight was bright and clear, loved ones reunited.

"How wonderful."

Liang Qu gazed at the full moon, smiled silently, saw Tao Zui happy, and a sense of fulfillment welled up.

The ultimate meaning of cultivation.

Living happily.

Mother and daughter whispered, not to be disturbed.

Liang Qu strode out of the garden and into the kitchen: "Hey hey, old uncle! What brings you over tonight? Heposuo and Pingyang Fu not keeping you busy?"

"Lucky you still feel like calling me that." Su Gugan set down the crayfish with a sigh.

"Heh heh, whether you like it or not, if you really didn't like it, you wouldn't even be able to step through the gate now, your rooms in Wang Fu would've been taken away—am I the sort of ungrateful, stingy person?"

Liang Qu lifted the pot lid himself, scooped out a basin of crayfish, carried it over to sit opposite, then grabbed with both hands, poured out two cups of sparkling fruit juice, and pushed them across.

"Hahaha, yes yes yes, my rainbow-transcending nephew, come come come, try try try try, today's crayfish taste exceptionally fresh; this is garlic flavor; this is spicy."

"Mm, just came for the smell, you didn't say, is the office not busy tonight?"

"Busy, how could it not be, so many people need resettling, so many new fields, all thanks to you finding me things to do, but tomorrow isn't Tao Zui's coronation ceremony, so no matter how busy I am I'll make time—I came here tonight to wait, and tomorrow morning I'll go to the Long Gong."

"Good, uncle gives face!"

"You give me face."

"Hey, you two sneaking food and drink in here? Eating alone?" Long You walked in with hands in pockets, nostrils flaring as he stepped over the threshold.

"Hey, in-laws!" Su Gugan greeted, pushing his own sparkling fruit juice toward them.

"Father-in-law?" Liang Qu wondered, "How did you get in?"

"What, I can't come eat your two basins of crayfish?"

"Not that." Liang Qu laughed.

Long You replied: "I had Xi Ti and Tao Zui go rest in their rooms, mother and daughter are probably lying on the bed whispering."

"And you?" Liang Qu wondered, "Long time no see, you don't want to chat more with Tao Zui?"

"Long time no see?" Long You smiled, shook his head, sat down to peel shrimp, "For you and Tao Zui as a young couple, that's exactly right, but for me, it's just like waking up from a nap."

Liang Qu blinked in surprise.

Long You stuffed shrimp meat into his mouth, chewed and swallowed: "Just yesterday I said goodbye to Tao Zui, who only came up to my knee, turned around and woke up, and now I look like this.

Xi Ti is a woman, women are sentimental, these past few days my dad said this, you said that, the surroundings changed, and immediately I was made to feel like a mother separated for decades, pent-up emotions, as for me—

I'm ultimately a man, can't even show it if I wanted to, dazed is dazed, emotions are many too, the flood dragon is gone, the whale king is black-finned—there's too much, all dumped into my sea of consciousness at once, but looking at my daughter suddenly grown up, I don't feel much longing, just feel pitiful, don't know how to get close.

So, let Xi Ti have more contact, rely on this place having you too, maybe one day if you two have a conflict, I can be of some use, give some support."

Liang Qu was speechless.

He seemed to understand, yet seemed not to.

One could feel it, but could not truly comprehend.

"Understanding." Su Gugan raised his cup, "In-laws, come, let's have one."

"Good! A toast to Mr. Elder." Long You raised his hand.

Ice cubes clinked, bubbles surged thickly, bursting into tiny splashes.

"When did you meet young Liang?"

"Over ten years ago————when I was sixteen or seventeen, I still had a foster mother————"

Moonlight streamed in through the small window, falling on the thin little blanket.

Long Tao Zui and Long Xi Ti embraced, eyes closed, feigning sleep while awake, talking, chatting.

The three men sat at the table eating crayfish, chatting about heaven and earth.

"Son-in-law, this thing of yours tastes good, but it's annoying to eat, is there a way to eat it without shelling? And this juice, how for a numb tongue?" Long You complained.

"There is!"

Liang Qu raised his hand, slapped the iron basin, and all the lobster meat shot out from their shells, neatly arranged in rows, just as Su Gugan once slapped watermelon seeds.

Long You rejoiced: "Good good good, that's the way to be refreshing! With this ability, why didn't you use it earlier?"

Su Gugan mocked: "You just don't know how to eat, you want it one by one peeled, sucked mouthful by mouthful! Like meat close to the bone."

"The mouth is on my body, whether it tastes good or not, I decide for myself!"

Midnight.

"Almost time."

Liang Qu wiped his hands, put down his bowl and chopsticks.

"This early?" Long You looked up in surprise, glanced out the window, "Don't say dawn, it's not even midnight yet, is it?"

"Father-in-law, the official procedure starts from tonight's midnight, first dismiss officials, announce to heaven and earth and the ancestral altars, then kowtow, perform the受命 ceremony, belonging to preparations. This we handle directly in Jianghuai, no outsiders paying homage, normally it'd be a huge ceremony with crowds, only that kind gets held at noon."

"Oh, so that's how it is, does the Long Gong have this heavenly and earthly ancestral altar thing?"

"Originally no, now yes, these past two days Quan Tou and A Fei just built it, I shoved the mirage dragon and the old dragon lord inside."

"Fine, no delay, let's go go go."

In the bedroom, Long Tao Zui embraced Long Xi Ti's waist, rested her head in her arms, breathing softly.

They had talked a great deal, yet still felt it wasn't enough, in the end only silence remained, saying nothing, just leaning, relying on each other.

The surging emotions here calmed.

Long Tao Zui sensed the passage of time.

"Splash!"

The sound of breaking water came from the pond.

Long Yanrui looked left and right, shouting loudly: "Eying sister! Are you in the Wang Fu? The Third Elder said, according to the procedure, it's almost time, hurry up and go with your brother-in-law, Eying sister!"

"Go." Long Xiti stroked Eying's long hair, "My Empress, Your Majesty."

Long Eying laughed.

"Plop!"

"Plop!"

Water splashed everywhere.

In the vast night, a group of water beasts lined up, plopping into the water as they headed toward the Dragon Court.

The fat fish had become a young dragon, unable to navigate the whirlpool waterway; the water beasts waved their fins, then glanced at the Third Prince, pinched their buttocks, pretended to grab and hold the towel, pulled back and forth, and left proudly.

The Third Prince bit the waterweed and pulled hard.

Inside the Long Gong, dragon people came and went, dragon sturgeons patrolled.

Liang Qu appeared in a flash.

"Your Majesty!" Long Zong Yin hurried forward, quickly reporting, "The main hall throne, treasure case, decree case, memorial case, ritual vessels, music stand, cloud disk, and timed drum — all have been set up — the State Preceptor will first go to the Chengjiu Sect to offer sacrifices, after which the Empress can put on the ceremonial robes — "

Long Zong Yin glanced sideways, froze mid-sentence, stared blankly, turned his head, his gaze sweeping past Liang Qu, past Long Eying, and landing directly on Long You and Long Xiti behind.

Long Zong Yin blinked, then rubbed his eyes hard.

Long Xiti smiled, stepped forward, and bowed: "Congratulations, Third Elder, on becoming a Chengjiu Sect Master, a pillar in the stream — my blessings are late, I hope Third Elder won't take offense."

"You, you are — " Long Zong Yin's pupils trembled, "Xiti?"

"It's me, Uncle Long Zong Yin, thanks to you remembering me — long time no see."

"And me." Long You stepped forward, "Uncle Long Zong Yin, why are you only looking at Xiti? Here, I'm clearly the tallest, this big guy standing right here."

"You? You are — You?"

Long Zong Yin's pupils dilated to the extreme, his Adam's apple rolling repeatedly, but his mind went blank, unable to say anything.

After a moment.

Thoughts flashed like lightning, cutting through confusion, he suddenly turned his head, looking toward Liang Qu.

Liang Qu grinned: "Third Elder, have you been preoccupied with arranging the main hall these past half an hour, still not having gone to the Chengjiu Sect?"

Long Zong Yin's heart buzzed and exploded, his head dizzy, he disregarded etiquette, disregarded procedure, and dashed outside, stumbling, disheveled.

"I'll go check!" Long You followed him out.

The two rushed away.

"Brother-in-law, what's going on? Why did the Third Elder suddenly get so agitated?" Long Yanrui followed, scratching his temple, confused, he took another look at Long Xiti, also dazed, "Wait, sister, I don't think I've ever seen you in the clan before?"

Long Xiti smiled: "You're Yanrui, right? I used to hold you when you were little."

Long Yanrui became even more bewildered, instinctively looking toward Liang Qu.

Liang Qu chuckled: "Yanrui, your grandfather, Eying's grandfather, and Binglin's grandfather — I remember they were brothers, right?"

"Yes."

"So she is your — paternal aunt?"

"Not quite." Long Xiti shook her head, "Yanrui is the youngest, but his parents are older, generationally higher, just married late, had children late, so he should be considered your paternal uncle's wife."

Long Yanrui: "?"

Liang Qu suddenly understood, adding: "The one who just left was your second uncle, do you want to follow and take a look?"

Long Yanrui stared blankly for a while, understood, then seemed not to, hesitated, pondering leaving.

Long Eying suddenly realized, Yanrui is younger than me, when his parents passed away, he was only one year old; if she has few memories, then he has no impression at all.

"Elder, Eying sister, come get dressed! Definitely beautiful."

Long Yao and Long Li jointly held up a tray proposal, carrying a heavy ceremonial robe, coming forward.

Xu Shi walked ahead, exchanging a smile with Long Xiti.

In the proposal: headgear, ceremonial robe, sash, jade leather belt —

Liang Qu turned: "Eying!"

His heart pounded wildly in his chest, saliva sticky like glue.

Long Zong Yin staggered, dragging out a milky white torrent, the world spinning, he could barely tell direction, took two wrong turns, then finally burst into the Chengjiu Sect.

"Splash!"

The water flow tore out a vacuum.

The tremendous sound of breaking through attracted Long Chen, who was preparing in the Chengjiu Sect.

It also attracted all dragon people and dragon sturgeons.

Chengjiu Sect, high eaves, the statues of Shenlong and the Old Dragon Lord stood on either side, stretching for thousands of zhang, dragon scales tight, lifelike, the Bai Yuan statue in the center.

People and sturgeons, reverent, holding whisks to clean the statues, scattered like stars, dispersed in the water.

Over a hundred Chenxiang dragon people turned their heads, over a hundred great demon dragon sturgeons turned around, looking down.

Three hundred Chenxiang, three hundred gazes, directed at Long Zong Yin.

Like feathers like wings, like clouds like mist.

Everyone was smiling.

Long Zong Yin raised his head, trembling.

"Long Zong Yin?" Long Chen laughed, "You came late, I thought you'd be earlier."

Bubbles rose slowly.

The old toad closed his eyes to rest, holding a long board, wearing a long crown, draped in splendid robes.

"State Preceptor!" Long Binglin bowed respectfully, "The time has come."

"Pa-ta!"

The cotton rope burned through, the copper ball fell onto the plate, clanging.

"Croak!" The old toad bulged its eyes wide. "Depart!"

A jade hairpin pierced horizontally through the hair bun, a broad sash encircled the body, a jade pendant rested at the center, lustrous and glowing. Long Eying wore a black cross-collared wide-sleeved robe, standing before the mirror, radiant and stately.

Lady Xu and Long Xiti stood on either side, their gazes full of gentleness.

"Truly beautiful." Liang Qu sat upon the desk, appreciating seriously. "What comes next? Go straight to worship?"

"Shouldn't you say what the husband must do?" Long Eying smiled and turned.

"Me?" Liang Qu was surprised.

"Did Husband not read the almanac pages?"

"Once an auspicious day is chosen, one day prior dispatch one official each to announce to Heaven, Earth, the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and the Altars of Soil and Grain." Xu Rongguang reminded from the side.

"Receive Heaven, succeed the ancestors, guard the land." Long Eying continued. "In Jianghuai, Husband is Heaven itself, so right now you should be at the Altar of Heaven and Earth. Calculating the hour, Frog Lord has already departed; if Husband does not act now, you will not make it in time."

"Hiss—"

The air emptied, a faint breeze rose.

Liang Qu vanished without a trace. Long Eying pursed her lips and smiled. Waiting for the water flow to settle, she took a deep breath and quietly awaited the passage of time.

"It is time to go, Dragon Emperor Your Majesty." Xu Rongguang bowed in salute.

"Many thanks, Grand Sire." Long Eying nodded.

First the Altar of Heaven, then the Imperial Ancestral Temple, then the Altars of Soil and Grain.

"Croak!"

The frog's cry lingered, long robes fluttering.

Music sounded "Grand Harmony."

Three times bowing in salute, three times offering incense.

Dragon people and dragon sturgeons were outside the hall.

Liang Qu sat in the center, watching the old toad dressed bulgingly, solemnly offering incense to "himself," claws holding silk fabric, chanting loudly, striking the bell — quite maladapted.

It had always been he coaxing Frog Lord; when had Frog Lord ever coaxed him?

Since ancient times, Heaven and Earth had always been a conceptual incarnation; today they had become himself.

"Croak!"

"Approved!"

Firewood was thrown into the iron basin, sparks scattering. The old toad roused its spirit, raised its frog head high, strode four-square steps, retreated to the side, and glared fiercely at Eying.

Personally nodding assent, personally bestowing identity — watching Eying bow and bend at the waist in thanks, revealing her lovely waist and hip curves, Liang Qu grinned

a smile.

Heh—

Done!

Night vast and dim, flowing swiftly away; dawn light tinged purple.

The three venues' procedures completed in turn; Long Eying had become the de facto Dragon People Empress, gaining legal legitimacy. The grand ceremony to follow was merely to proclaim it to the world.

Long Chen could not suppress his excitement; Long Zong Yin's eye rims were even red. Long Qingyi, Elder Ao Qing — none were not stirred.

Long Eying changed clothes; sacrificial robes exchanged for court robes.

Very quickly.

Stones of all rivers under heaven, gather toward Jianghuai!

Hai Fangzhu, Frog King, Turtle King were positioned in Jianghuai, arriving first. Dragon sturgeons surged forth in numbers, leading the way to receive them.

"Your Majesty, Empress, this way please." Long Zong Yin bowed in welcome.

The Sage Emperor scanned a circle, seeing dragon people and dragon sturgeons scattered about, mildly startled.

"What is it?" The Empress asked.

"We do not recall so many Entering Zhen Xiang dragon people, great demon dragon sturgeons."

"Could it be Huai King's enlightenment? I have heard Water Lords all possess the effect of enlightening with essence blood."

The Sage Emperor thought a moment, shook his head. "Not too likely."

The Sage Emperor could not grasp a clue, until the carriage descended, arriving at the Long Gong gate. He saw that dragon-horned, compared to all the dragon people, even taller, even more burly elderly dragon person bowing in salute.

The Sage Emperor shook greatly, suddenly enlightened.

"Not enlightenment — it is the dragon people and dragon sturgeons who died after the flood dragons of old took the throne, all resurrected!"

The Empress marveled. "How is this possible?"

"Why impossible?" The Sage Emperor immediately countered.

The Empress abruptly recalled the mass resurrection of ten thousand people.

"Long Shuo!" The Sage Emperor clenched his hand, staring dead at the elderly dragon person. "Just now at the hall gate was the dragon people's legendary elder, Long Shuo! In my youth I once saw him in Nanzhili — absolutely Long Shuo. Short-term eruption, strength nearly matching a self-severed Martial Saint, the first Entering Zhen Xiang! Dragon transformation to self-born twin horns!"

The Empress stared dumbfounded.

Dragon people and dragon sturgeons dead for decades?

Tusi and Khan Kings arrived in succession; quickly, like the Sage Emperor, all realized this shocking fact.

No helping it — that burly dragon person standing at the grand hall entrance was simply too iconic, too recognizable.

Dragon people are inherently long-lived; Long Shuo's prestige before his death was known to virtually everyone, especially during the period when the Old Dragon Lord had not yet passed, representing his walks under heaven.

All present are premature-death dragons with long lifespans; in their youth none had not heard of Long Shuo's prestige!

Even Ge Zu, such an intermittently sleeping premature-death dragon for decades, remembered deeply.

Just thinking that the three hundred-plus Entering Zhen Xiang and great demons present were all resurrected from death made everyone's scalp tingle.

Transform into a rainbow, transform into a rainbow.

How much shock can this realm actually still give people?

Zhang Longxiang, Su Lieweng, Beiting Xian.

Old Dragon Lord, White Dragon King, Mountain Dragon King, Yue Wang, Ming Wang, Su Heba Lu, Shen Daguai, Wolf Lord, Li Daguai——

Whale King, Fish King, Crow King, Sea Liao King——

Those I know, those I don't, the top masters under heaven—all are gathered here today at this very moment.

Yaolong ascended the throne, utterly ordinary.

Transforming into a rainbow to discuss the Dao, scorpion rice cakes.

Even to——

Liang Qu raised an eyebrow, flashing to the entrance where the Huaijiang Great Marsh meets the Huaijiang.

"Wu!"

"Hou hou hou!"

On the summit of Longevity Mountain, the mountain sprites all ran wildly, reached the peak, raised both hands, and roared in joy.

Liang Qu was excited now, but didn't know what to say, so he only said: "Ah! Old Yuan—you've come?"

Then he had many words, wanting to burst out in a string: longevity treasure, golden-haired monkey, treasure fish, two-faced three-edged blade, betrayal and abandonment, servile before arrogant, hesitant and evasive——but he always felt something was blocking him, just spinning in his mind, unable to spit it out.

General Yuan stood still, his face showing joy and sorrow; he moved his lips, but made no sound. His attitude finally

became respectful, clearly calling out: "Water Lord!"

Liang Qu shuddered, then laughed wildly: "Hahaha, old lame calf, after not seeing you for months, you're putting on airs now—I still like your former unruly and untamed self."

"Don't dare, don't dare." General Yuan humbly waved his paws, "Young and ignorant, Water Lord, the great ape doesn't blame the little turtle."

"This is no fun." Liang Qu lost interest, "When you came, didn't you inquire? When have I ever been stingy? Since I attained rainbow transformation, those around me have become good people, respectful and deferential, yet I still miss old Yuan, your true-hearted friend—but you never came, leaving me listless, and now seeing this, I'm even more disappointed——"

General Yuan's heart stirred.

Before coming, he felt afraid yet reluctant to miss the rainbow Dao discussion, indeed having inquired inside and out about what Liang Qu did after attaining rainbow transformation.

As the saying goes: urge the gentleman to drink a cup of osmanthus wine, the boy is not in the water playing.

Could it be——

Used to mountain delicacies and sea flavors, Liang Qu uniquely favors this one mouthful of fresh, fragrant, spicy? After hearing too much flattery, does one prefer being scolded a couple of times, tight-skinned?

General Yuan became excited.

Fate thus arranged!

How base human life is!

I am precisely the one in Liang Qu's life who has heard too much flattery, indispensable in that "unruly" part! Liang Qu is the Emperor, I am the Censor-in-Chief!

"Hah, putting on airs all this time, damn it, you should've said earlier—I almost let you fool me!"

", you truly are unruly and untamed?"

"..