Chapter 268

Moonlight shone on the open stone-tiled ground, and the pond water reflected a silvery light.

Wulong followed behind Liang Qu, jumping incessantly, shaking its head in front and wagging its little curly tail behind.

Having not seen Liang Qu for half a month, it was extremely excited to see him again.

By the pond.

A small wooden house, fully roofed and uniquely designed, was built half on the bank and half extending into the water.

Next to the wooden house, there was also a simple, rather sloppy-looking grass pile.

The two formed a stark contrast.

But what Liang Qu cared about most was still the "dragon bone" beside the wooden house; it was smooth, symmetrical, white, and delicate, made of top-quality oak.

Surrounding the dragon bone, the ship's ribs spread out like wings, with several wooden planks interspersed inside to support the curved surface.

The beaver family had not been lazy during the days he was away, and their progress was quite fast.

Based on the current foundation, wouldn't they be able to deliver it together with Liu Quanfu by mid-August?

The commotion of Wulong jumping back and forth woke the resting beavers.

As the head of the household, Mr. Big Da He Li climbed out of the pond and onto the bank, shivering from neck to tail to shake off the water droplets on its fur, before clasping its paws together and shaking them up and down at Liang Qu.

Is it bowing?

Liang Qu pondered for a moment and nodded.

After the greeting, the Big Da He Li dove back into the water.

Before long, at the gap between the underground river and the pond, the Big Da He Li reappeared, and behind it were six more "big rats," looking somewhat similar to beavers, but definitely not beavers.

Liang Qu glanced at the old giant clam by the gap, but the old giant clam kept its shells tightly closed, saying nothing.

The Big Da He Li brought the six "big rats" out of the water, and the dim moonlight shone down.

Liang Qu immediately understood why there were new "beasts" in his home.

Seeing a furry creature near the beavers' activity area didn't mean it was a beaver.

There were two other similar-looking creatures that were extremely common.

Otters and minks!

Beavers are herbivores, while otters and minks are carnivores.

Beavers have no competitive relationship with these two, so the living areas they create very easily attract one of these two creatures to settle down together.

The six in front of him were presumably the Big Da He Li's "old friends," and they shouldn't be otters, but smooth-coated otters.

It wasn't that Liang Qu could distinguish the difference between otters and smooth-coated otters at a glance, but rather that there were only smooth-coated otters in the Jianghuai Great Marsh, and they were very numerous.

Fishermen out on boats often saw two smooth-coated otter tribes "fighting" in the marsh, going at it fiercely.

These things looked small, but their combat power was extremely strong; from water snakes to small crocodiles, they weren't even afraid of humans. Many people in Yixing Town had been scratched by them; they were the "honey badgers" of the water.

It was rare for all six smooth-coated otters to be spirit monsters.

The two leaders were only slightly smaller than the beaver, but sturdier, and looked to have extraordinary combat power.

Liang Qu didn't even know how to describe them.

Muscular?

The only problem was that all six smooth-coated otters were injured, looking like a defeated army.

Could it be that they lost a fight over territory?

The Big Da He Li rummaged around and pulled another piece of gold from its belly fur, about the same size as the one it gave Liang Qu last time, around ten taels.

It pushed the largest smooth-coated otter forward.

That smooth-coated otter, with a broken hand hanging down, paced up to Liang Qu, waved its other claw to gesture repeatedly, pointed at Wulong by Liang Qu's feet, and flexed its forearm to show off its strong muscles.

Its expression was intense, baring its sharp teeth, and its whiskers were trembling.

Liang Qu picked up a pebble from the ground, broke the water surface, and smashed it against the shell of the old giant clam at the bottom of the pond.

The force was so great that it scraped a piece of algae off the old giant clam's shell.

"What for?"

The old giant clam opened its shell reluctantly.

"Translate."

"They say they can guard the house and protect the home."

"What's the situation with the injuries?"

Liang Qu asked about the injuries on the smooth-coated otters, wondering why they were in such a sorry state.

The answer he got was as expected: they had been fighting.

On the Bing-Fire day, all things are restless, and many spirit monsters leave their territories to come to the shallow water areas.

This is when "fighting" is most likely to occur.

The smooth-coated otter family had fought for territory with another smooth-coated otter tribe in the Jianghuai Marsh, lost, and were driven out, forcing them to come here to rely on their old friend, having even built a grass nest beforehand.

But they hadn't dared to move in without Liang Qu's permission.

Now, the lead smooth-coated otter meant that they hoped to live in the pond; they could help guard the house, and as for why it pointed at Wulong, it was clearly to show that it could guard better than a puppy.

Wulong was leaning against Liang Qu's feet, unaware that it had been singled out, and lifted its hind leg to scratch its neck.

Liang Qu looked at the gold the beaver had placed on the ground and agreed.

The beaver family was living there, and the otter family could live there too; it made no difference.

It just felt strange to him.

In such a large three-courtyard residence, there weren't many people living there, but a whole bunch of animals had gathered.

He really was a friend to animals; even when he was lowly, he displayed extraordinary affinity for water beasts.

But just how much gold did the beaver have hidden, and why did it have so much?

Could he raise...

*Cough. *

Liang Qu dismissed the thought and ran to the kitchen to boil water for a bath.

There were no bathing facilities on the river boat, so everything was handled in the Great Marsh.

Although it was hot, he felt like he had no soul if he didn't wash with hot water; something was missing, and he didn't feel clean.

After washing with soap, Liang Qu sat by the ice platform, his muscles relaxed, feeling incredibly comfortable.

Time to take the medicine.

He took out a small wooden box.

The pale green patterns on it were like leaf veins, full of vitality; he opened the lid, and inside was the Wither-Prosper Twin Lotus!

More than ten days had passed since he ate the Qilin Elixir, enough to avoid the dangerous period of conflicting properties, making it the perfect time to continue consuming it.

He took out the Wither-Prosper Twin Lotus, pinched the petals to shrink it, and swallowed it in one go.

It was even harder to swallow than the Qilin Elixir.

The Qilin Elixir was large, but it was dense and heavy, so he didn't need to do much; just swallow a couple of times, and it would slide down on its own.

But the Twin Lotus was not only large but also light and airy, sliding down bit by bit, which was truly uncomfortable.

Liang Qu picked up the teapot and swallowed a few mouthfuls of tea before he could barely wash it down into his stomach.

Once the precious plant was in his stomach, pure life energy erupted like a tidal wave, and his skin, flesh, bones, blood, and internal organs absorbed the medicinal power as if famished.

Practice makes perfect.

Liang Qu closed all the pores on his body, leaving no leaks, determined not to let a single bit of medicinal power escape, and silently recited the Dragon-Subduing Mantra and the Tiger-Taming Scripture in his heart.

"Divine Dragon of Heaven, Flood Dragon of Earth, Poisonous Dragon of Man, those who descend shall submit themselves..."

"Sun rises in the east, lightning flashes gold, use it to bow the head, retreat and it hides..."

The Dragon-Subduing Mantra and the Tiger-Taming Scripture cycled alternately, and his scorching Qi and blood rose, following the two mantras without pause.

Golden light radiated from Liang Qu's body, with a dragon and a tiger circling alternately.

The Water-Fire Twin Flowers gave him the feeling of alternating cold and heat, while the Wither-Prosper Twin Lotus was about the cycle of withering and prospering.

Now reading spring and summer, you alone contemplate withering and prospering.

At the same time, the Ze Ding in his sea of consciousness shook violently.

The pale blue water essence at the bottom of the tripod quickly became deep and continuous, and as time passed, it "rose with the tide" bit by bit.

【Water Essence +7427】