Chapter 183: Falling Star Arrow (Ask for Monthly Tickets at the Beginning of the Month)

Mid-May.

Yang Family Martial Arts Hall.

The wooden target in the shooting range was full of arrows, all hitting the bullseye.

Liang Qu put down the wooden bow and looked at Hu Qi, eager to try.

"How long has Liang Shidi been practicing archery?"

"Back and forth, it's been a little less than a month."

"A little less than a month..."

Hu Qi's mouth twitched.

Practiced to hit the bullseye from a hundred paces in less than a month?

Are you kidding?

He remembered saying when he touched the bones that Liang Shidi was suitable for practicing archery, but he didn't expect the progress to be so fast.

Liang Qu bowed: "To tell you the truth, Cao Shixiong, I came here this time to ask you for an archery technique, preferably a medium-grade one; if it were a superior martial art, that would be even better."

"Archery? Can you handle it, Liang Shidi? Didn't Cao Shixiong Xu just teach you a spear technique last time?"

"To tell you the truth, I have also slightly entered the threshold of the Green Dragon Spear."

Before the trip to Fengbu County, Liang Qu spent more energy on cultivation, increasing his strength as quickly as possible; after all, being an eighth-rank River Earl who was only a martial artist was really unjustifiable.

He learned more conventional techniques in fighting and had little contact with martial arts.

But after a fight with Liu Jie, Liang Qu discovered that martial arts were quite important.

After returning from Fengbu County, he asked Cao Shixiong Xu for a Green Dragon Seven-Kill Spear, and he practiced it in his dreams every day without fail; now he had already entered the threshold.

Hu Qi had nothing to say.

"Liang Shidi has heaven-defying talent, and Cao Shixiong is inferior; if you want to learn, I will teach you a Falling Star Arrow. After learning it, the arrow is like a shooting star, and the launch is like a swift wind; the power is extremely fierce, and it was taught to me by Master initially."

"Falling Star Arrow, is it a superior archery technique?"

"It is a medium-grade martial art." Hu Qi shook his head. "Liang Shidi, don't look down on it; although Falling Star Arrow is only a medium-grade martial art, after this archery technique is mastered, there is a chance to comprehend the Moon-Chasing Arrow and the Sun-Piercing Arrow.

The Moon-Chasing Arrow is already comparable to a superior martial art, and the Sun-Piercing Arrow can firmly rank in the forefront of superior martial arts."

"Has Cao Shixiong comprehended the Moon-Chasing Arrow and the Sun-Piercing Arrow?"

Hu Qi scratched his head awkwardly: "My Falling Star Arrow is mastered, but I haven't comprehended the Moon-Chasing Arrow yet, and the Sun-Piercing Arrow is even more indefinitely distant..."

Martial arts are not that easy to practice; life-and-death fights happen in an instant, so quality is better than quantity.

Ordinary martial artists practicing one or two medium-grade martial arts are already able to use them as their trump cards.

Liang Qu was slightly disappointed, but not much.

Medium-grade martial arts are much easier to learn than superior martial arts, and it is rare to see an archery technique like Falling Star Arrow that can comprehend advanced techniques, so it is worth learning.

"Please teach me, Cao Shixiong!"

"Easy to say, the way of weapons can also temper the body, and drawing a bow and setting an arrow is also a superior method.

Liang Shidi, you have heaven-defying talent; learning one more hand is harmless to yourself, and just watch me draw the bow and teach you how to lead qi!"

Hu Qi drew his dark red big bow.

"Drawing the bow requires method, setting the arrow requires composure, the waist must advance secretly, the chest must be clear, the navel must face the ground, the heart must be let go...

Qi must go from the back, not from the arm; lead qi from the ground, from bottom to top..."

In order to let Liang Qu see clearly enough, Hu Qi's movements were slow, and the rhythm between each breath was peculiar.

It was completely different from ordinary archery, making Liang Qu's eyes shine.

Listening intently, the whole morning passed in learning archery from Hu Qi.

The archery technique was extremely exquisite; Liang Qu didn't enter the threshold for a while and would probably need three or four days to learn it.

"Don't rush for a moment; when I first entered, it took me seven days."

Liang Qu nodded; in terms of pure comprehension ability, his talent was not bad.

Bang, bang.

There was a knock on the door outside the courtyard.

"Cao Shixiong Liang, Cao Shixiong Chen is looking for you."

Chen Jiechang?

Shouldn't he be patrolling on the river at this time?

Spring river water is warm, and it's not just ducks and fish that are active; a large crocodile attack occurred two days ago, and it almost caused trouble.

Liang Qu put down the bow and looked at Hu Qi.

"You go ahead and get busy; I'll just go see the other apprentices."

Liang Qu followed the apprentice out the door and saw Chen Jiechang wearing a dark blue official uniform.

"Water Brother, Master Ran of the River Patrol Office asked me to tell you that the reward for the great merit last time has come down; if you have time, go there quickly."

The reward has come down?

Liang Qu felt happy in his heart.

"Let's go, to the pier."

"I won't go; Li Libo and I are chasing the big crocodile."

"Alright, you two be careful; try not to go into the water; if you run into it, just use a spear to stab it on the boat."

Big crocodiles are at least three meters, and at most four or five meters; their natural species advantage is huge, so they cannot be underestimated.

Chen Jiechang and Li Libo have only broken the skin barrier; if they are bitten by a big crocodile in the water, they might not necessarily be able to beat it.

"Rest assured, I've been fishing on a boat since I was fifteen, and it's been six or seven years; I know this much, and it's not like there are big crocodiles only today."

"Hmm."

Walking to the pier, Liang Qu bid farewell to Chen Jiechang and boarded the tower ship.

Seeing Ran Zhongshi stood on the deck, having waited for him there since early morning, and greeted him with a bow and a smile.

"The gentleman's heart is clear as the sky, and he cannot let people not know; the gentleman's talent is hidden like a pearl, and he cannot let people easily know.

Previously, I left Fengbu County in a hurry and didn't talk to Brother Liang in detail, and since then, I have been turning around in several counties, plowing the court and sweeping the caves, and only today have I been busy enough to come out.

Looking at Brother Liang again, he is truly hiding his light and shocking the world; even in the Imperial City, it is rare to see a talent as restrained as Brother Liang."

"Brother Ran is too kind; my petty skills are not worth mentioning, and it is precisely because I know my own weight that I dare not show off in front of others."

Liang Qu guessed that the reward would be more generous than he had originally thought; otherwise, Seeing Ran Zhongshi wouldn't be praising him so much.

"Haha, I don't know how many people's faces this statement will fold. The River Patrol Office has only been in Pingyang County for three months, and I haven't seen anyone who can be promoted by one rank like Brother Liang; let's go, I'll take Brother Liang to receive the new official uniform."

Seeing Ran Zhongshi didn't keep him in suspense; he grabbed Liang Qu's forearm and walked toward the document room.

"News came today that for this destruction of the Whale Gang, Brother Liang not only won two great merits but was also promoted by one rank.

Now you are already a regular eighth-rank River Earl; one step further, and you will be a seventh-rank Water Minister; one step away, a real official!"

Two great merits, promoted by one rank!

Finally, it landed on the ground.

Liang Qu felt incomparably steady in his heart.

Great merit not in the bag is like lending money out without knowing when it can be asked back.

"Then the Two-Life Flower I wanted to exchange for before..."

"Rest assured, the Two-Life Flower was brought over with the news; no need to wait."

Inside the document room, Liang Qu received the new official uniform and waist token from the registrar.

The official uniform of the eighth-rank River Earl is slightly different from the regular eighth-rank.

The auspicious cloud pattern on the original dark blue clothing was on the right half; now it is on the left half.

Even the waist token is different; it's not that an extra "regular eighth-rank" is engraved—that would be too tacky, like a nouveau riche—but there is a difference in the patterns.

The original pattern on the waist token was intaglio; now it is relief.

One has to admire human wisdom; changing only one or two details can easily distinguish the difference in grade.

As for the treatment of the two, except for the salary, there is no big difference.

Afterward, Seeing Ran Zhongshi brought Liang Qu to the treasury and took down a delicately shaped, palm-sized white wooden box from a separate shelf on the side.

"The Two-Life Flower Brother Liang wants is in this box; open the box and inspect it."

Liang Qu took the wooden box; there was no unusual feeling in his hand; he opened the wooden box slightly, and heat waves surged out, forcing him to move away.

He uncovered the lid completely.

A fiery red, huge lotus flower came into view, with petals stacked layer by layer, like a ball of fire.

The most unique thing was the lotus stamen, with light blue fine threads swaying, and in a daze, one could see scattered blue light spots.

Two-Life Flower.

A strange flower bundle growing in the volcanic crater at the bottom of the water, containing intense life essence, taking it helps grow cultivation, enhances toxin resistance, eliminates diseases and disasters, and can also forge spiritual weapons.

"Spiritual objects need to be stored carefully after being picked; the wooden box in Brother Liang's hand is made of emerald wood, which can effectively guarantee the medicinal properties; if you are not in a hurry to take it, it is best not to let the spiritual object be exposed for a long time."

Liang Qu closed the wooden box immediately.

"Then after I take the Two-Life Flower, do I need to return the wooden box?"

Seeing Ran Zhongshi laughed heartily.

"In principle, it needs to be returned, but no one will ask you for it."

Understood.

"Many thanks, Brother Ran!"

"No need to thank me, but there is a matter I don't know if Brother Liang is interested in."

"What matter is Brother Ran talking about?"

"We have a small gathering at the end of May; if Brother Liang is interested, you can go with me." ===== CHAPTER 184 =====