Chapter 272: Spirit Fish!

Aside from hosting auctions, the third floor of the Tianbo Chamber of Commerce was mostly rented out to the public on ordinary days, providing space and services.

Liang Qu and the others verified their identities at the entrance and, led by an attendant, took their seats according to the pre-arranged order.

Today, the entire third floor looked completely different from what he had seen before.

Vermilion-lacquered long tables were lined up on both sides, as neat as ink lines snapped by a carpenter, stretching out of sight.

Several young women surrounded by folding screens played the guqin, and a faint incense drifted through the air.

Long tables were spread out side-by-side in the front, with two-zhang-long silk scrolls laid out; several painters were grinding ink and washing brushes, preparing to paint and record the grand scene.

Ice platforms were set up in the distance, and the air was not stuffy, but an ice basin was still placed beside each person, shaped like palace buildings, with pale white cold mist drifting out along the four corners of the eaves and cascading downwards.

Magistrate Jian's celebration banquet had booked the entire third floor; he was wealthy and imposing, truly worthy of being the rich man who had spent hundreds of thousands of silver taels on life-extending precious plants last time.

Wait.

Liang Qu sat behind the table, peeling a green tangerine from the fruit platter, when he suddenly remembered something.

If Jian Zhongyi's Grandmaster ancestor really did commit that act of incest, would Jian Zhongyi still buy life-extending precious materials for his own ancestor?

Liang Qu stuffed a tangerine segment into his mouth, unable to reach an answer.

Perhaps it really was just gossip.

Regardless of whose stomach the precious materials ended up in, it wouldn't be his turn anyway.

As time passed, guests entered one after another until the first Great Martial Artist, Sui Hongyan, appeared, and Jian Zhongyi showed up to receive them.

After Sui Hongyan, important figures from the River Patrol and the Demon Suppression Division, such as Yang Dongxiong, Xu Yuelong, and Wei Lin, appeared one after another.

Heroes were seated according to their rank.

A group of Hunting Tiger Great Martial Artists, whose strength and status were the highest among the crowd, sat in the center circle at the very front.

Including Jian Zhongyi, there were nine people in total.

Further out, cloud stones were inserted into low screens that were less than calf-high, used to divide the space.

Those were the seats for the next tier, Seeing Ran Zhongshi, Xiang Fang Su, and others.

People with great strength and deep backgrounds.

There were about seventy or so.

On the third level, the screens were half a person's height, painted with vermilion lacquer, and carved with various cranes and birds and beasts.

Guests needed to sit up straight to see over the screens and view the situation in the first and second levels of the banquet.

These were the seats for Wei Shao, Liang Qu, and others, with over a hundred people sitting there.

These were people who had strength but insufficient backgrounds, or insufficient strength but had backgrounds.

Wei Shao's background was a bit worse, and Liang Qu's strength was a bit worse.

As for the fourth level, it was nakedly separated by two-meter-high large screens, making it completely impossible to see the situation in the three levels inside.

Sitting there were all ordinary martial artists from the River Patrol with no backgrounds.

Those inside had not made any contributions, or had even received the notice temporarily that day, belonging to the "accompanying guest" role of helping out.

As for the fifth level, there was no fifth level; ordinary soldiers who did not have the strength of a martial artist did not receive invitations at all.

There were four levels in total, separated by three heights of screens.

Status and rank were clearly distinguished, with a depth of over two hundred meters.

If an ordinary person came, they wouldn't be able to see the situation inside at all.

Liang Qu looked sideways at Wei Shao, who was sitting opposite him, feeling unhappy.

If he were a Wolf Smoke martial artist, he would definitely sit in the second circle and not be in the same row as this person.

Wei Shao noticed Liang Qu's gaze, and they both felt disgusted, snorting coldly.

When he saw Liang Qu, he thought of the three thousand-plus silver taels he had lost, and thought of himself soaking in the Great Marsh for more than ten days, swimming until his hands cramped.

If it weren't for Liang Qu having a Great Title and being Yang Dongxiong's direct disciple, he should be on the fourth level right now, mingling with that bunch of rough men!

In the center position.

Jian Zhongyi stood up and bowed.

"I have been disrespectful in my hosting, I hope everyone will be generous!"

"Magistrate Jian is too polite."

"It is truly a great expense, Magistrate Jian."

"It is not my expense; most of today's costs are provided by Mr. Zhu, the manager of Tianbo."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Mr. Zhu..."

It was all polite, empty talk.

Liang Qu was dozens of meters away, his ears were calloused from listening, and his stomach was growling.

It was dusk when he arrived, and now it was already dark, yet the banquet hadn't started.

After about a quarter of an hour of conversation, Jian Zhongyi finally toasted everyone.

"The vast masses, who has no parents? Carrying and supporting, fearing they will not live long.

Who has no brothers? Like feet and hands. Who has no spouse? Like guests and friends.

Heaven and Earth are sorrowful, plants and trees are miserable. The sacrifices do not arrive, the spirits have nowhere to rely.

The first cup should be toasted to the brave warriors whose souls have returned!"

Jian Zhongyi poured out a cup of wine.

Everyone followed suit.

Liang Qu did the same.

Jian Zhongyi spoke for a while longer and raised his wine cup.

"The second cup, toasted to the Shunyuan Great Treasure Holy Literary Divine Martial Law Heaven Proving Dao Emperor!"

Everyone drank.

Liang Qu drank.

"The third cup, toasted to all the brave warriors defending the country!"

After the three cups were toasted, the banquet began!

Cups and dishes were exchanged, and the guests enjoyed themselves.

The scene was harmonious; after all, Jian Zhongyi was ostensibly rewarding them, so it was a free meal.

Liang Qu also wanted to chat with people, but he looked around and found that there was no one he knew nearby.

Xiang Fang Su, Seeing Ran Zhongshi, and the others were all in the second circle.

The purpose of seating was to divide the circles, and he couldn't run around; it would be considered uncultured to do so, so Liang Qu had to bury his head in eating and drinking.

The meal lasted for more than an hour, and the latter half was completely a state of being full and having nothing to do.

He endured until the end of the Xu hour and the beginning of the Hai hour, from nine to ten in the evening, when the banquet finally ended.

Manager Zhu arranged for manpower to send people home.

Liang Qu was not in a hurry to go back; after saying goodbye to his master Yang Dongxiong, he first went to the second level to stroll around, and with the help of a "shopping guide" attendant, he purchased underwater precious plants.

There was no way to find the level of Twin Lotus or Two-Life Flower; he could only find some ordinary precious plants, which were not of high quality but were abundant in quantity.

Liang Qu did not mind; estimating the amount of Water Marsh Essence, he bought over eight hundred silver taels worth of precious plants in total.

Yixing Town.

Chishan returned to the stable.

Liang Qu followed the underground river to the Jianghuai Great Marsh and swallowed the precious plants.

After digesting everything, he gained a total of eight hundred Water Marsh Essence, meaning each point of Water Marsh Essence cost a little over one tael.

Underwater precious plants were difficult to obtain and usually had a premium.

Things like the Cockscomb Fruit in the River Patrol were special supplies, and one couldn't find such high-quality and cheap precious plants outside.

Eight hundred taels for just that much was truly a huge loss.

But it was enough!

He only ate three Cockscomb Fruits a day because the effect would be weakened afterwards, and the Qi and blood provided were limited, but the Water Marsh Essence obtained would not be less!

Before his seclusion, Liang Qu had exchanged for dozens of Cockscomb Fruits in the River Patrol using small merits, originally thinking of eating three a day and eating them slowly.

Now.

The favor of the Second Young Master was right before his eyes!

Don't grind, start paying!

【Water Marsh Essence +7】

【Water Marsh Essence +8】

【Water Marsh Essence +7.6】

Liang Qu ate one after another.

In the blink of an eye, he ate more than thirty Cockscomb Fruits, generating more than two hundred Water Marsh Essence.

Ten thousand essence, completely replenished!

Communicate with the Ze Ding.

The sound of tides in the cauldron was constant, and pale red crimson Qi surged above the Water Marsh Essence.

【Obtain a wisp of crimson Qi; if merged with ten thousand Water Marsh Essence, a spirit fish will be born, which can sublimate the favor.】

Everything is ready, merge!

The Ze Ding bloomed with brilliance, and the ethereal crimson Qi instantly merged into the surging Water Marsh Essence, rolling up a vortex; the water level of the Water Marsh Essence dropped rapidly, and the speed was shocking.

When the light dissipated.

A small red-eyed fish, deep blue all over and feeling no bigger than a thumb, appeared in the Ze Ding.

The previously accumulated Water Marsh Essence was instantly left with only a thin layer, so much so that the little fish couldn't swim at all and was flapping inside.

Is this a spirit fish?

Liang Qu couldn't care about the heartache; a mysterious feeling arose in his sea of consciousness, as if after merging with the crimson Qi, the Water Marsh Essence had more complex changes.

【Obtain a spirit fish, can sublimate the Refined Ze Ling favor】

【Refined Ze Ling favor: Martial Dao Divine Power First Layer (River Lord Emperor); Ying Dragon Pattern: First Layer; Tian Wu: First Layer】

Liang Qu's gaze swept over, without hesitation.

River Lord Emperor!